Orchestra of Opera North

Leeds Town Hall

Saturday 6th April 2019

Just six years separated the composition of the first two works in the Orchestra of Opera North’s “Reflections” themed programme. And yet, Witold Lutoslawski’s Musique funebre (1954) and Richard Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder or Four Last Songs (1948) inhabit traditions and sound worlds seemingly a century apart.

The puzzle of last Saturday’s excellent concert focused on the disappointingly small audience. There was a time when a pairing of Bruckner’s Symphony No 7 and the breathtakingly beautiful Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss would have pulled in a near full house. I can only assume that the inclusion of Witold Lutoslawski’s Marche Funebre was a deterrent to some subscribers. A pity, since this powerful work displayed the sinewy strength and depth of the Orchestra of Opera North strings and Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska’s mastery of structure.

From the austere sound world of Lutoslawski to the German romantic tradition of R Strauss’ sumptuous Four Last Songs. These were premiered at the Royal Albert Hall on 22nd May 1950, by soprano Kirsten Flagstad with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler. Ana Maria Labin impressed as the Countess in Opera North’s production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro several years ago. The Swiss soprano’s refulgent tone effortlessly soared over the full orchestra in Fruhling (Spring) and Biem Schlafengehen (Going to Sleep) in which David Greed’s rapturous solo violin likewise soared heavenwards. The tenderness of Im Abendrot (At Sunset) was punctuated by the piccolos as a pair of skylarks winging their way onwards and upwards.

The full Orchestra of ninety for Bruckner’s Symphony No 7 in E major included five horns and a quartet of Wagner tubas plus the usual heavy brass, all heard to glorious effect in the spacious acoustic of Leeds Town Hall. Dalia Stasevska’s driven performance magnificently realised Bruckner’s “cathedral of sound” with the singing quality of the strings and the incandescent climaxes to the opening movement, the soul piercing Adagio, and the stupendous Finale.

Geoffrey Mogridge