Every summer I hear the scuttlebutt about the annual MAINLY MOZART FESTIVAL happening in San Diego. This year I finally decide to take the plunge, so I head downtown to the BALBOA THEATRE to immerse myself in some classic musical literature interpreted by a diverse array of exceptional musicians from places near and far. It’s the 30th Anniversary of the event and I choose to attend the closing concert, a selection from the varied weeklong offerings. I hit the jackpot, it seems!

The MAINLY MOZART FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, under the baton of Maestro Michael Francis, presents a program entitled “Heroic Endings”. Of course, there are a number of compositions by Mozart himself including a technically challenging, bravura piece arranged and performed by a somewhat eccentric pianist with sensitive control of the ivories. Anton Lazic, an oft recorded wunderkind of sorts, interprets the World Premiere “Rondo Concertante, after Allegretto grazioso” thrillingly, leading to a well-deserved standing ovation.

My favorite of the evening, though, has to be Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56”. Its Scottish origins, carefully explained by the conductor before its presentation, leads me  to an inner sanctum full of alternate bombast and quietude. In fact, I’ve always been a sucker for aggressive strings anyway, so it’s no surprise that I find myself afloat momentarily in heaven.

As the audience streams out of this gorgeous theatre following the end-of-concert rituals, I’m feeling a bit heroic myself.

Sound Waves…Artists Who Revel in Refined Listening 

pc: Ken Jacques

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