In what might be viewed as a pre-Valentine's Day public service, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra offered a refresher course in "The Art of Seduction" over the weekend. Since this was part of the ensemble's Symphony with a Twist series, audience members even had a chance to try out the art of pre-seduction martini-plying in the lobby.
Ever since being introduced three seasons ago, the BSO has had trouble deciding exactly what Twist events should be - comfortably packaged programs of greatest hits; opportunities to introduce dance, video or other visual elements; an occasional outlet for off-beat music unlikely to find its way into regular subscription concerts.
Saturday night's presentation at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall struck me as one of the more effective Twisters, containing enough solid fare to get beyond the merely entertaining, and enough solid entertainment to get beyond a smorgasbord, introduction-to-the-classics level.
Michael Stern, music director designate of the Kansas City Symphony, was on the podium to lead a program packed with sensuous, even slightly steamy music. Not surprisingly, most of the pieces were French (even Francophobes would have to admit the French have an unusual knack for marshaling seductive powers).
Two samples by Berlioz were particularly welcome - the love scene from Romeo et Juliette, an unhurried, luminous gem of sonic lyricism; and the sparkling overture to Beatrice et Benedict. Stern led both with considerable affinity for the melodic curves and instrumental coloring; the orchestra glowed.
For all of the hormonal activity suggested by the compositions on the bill - a bold charge through the rousing (or arousing) Bacchanal from Saint-Saens' Samson et Dalila was the most blatant, as well as very potently delivered - the concert really was about how music can seduce the ear.
Nothing illustrates that more indelibly than Ravel's ballet Daphnis et Chloe. Although Stern didn't get a subtle enough response from the orchestra at the start (leading to a case of premature crescendo), he effectively caught the rest of the score's delicacy, transparency, elegance and refined power.
The evening began with a firm, bracing account of Strauss' Don Juan. Another non-French work - the jazzy "Dance of the Great Lover" from the Bernstein musical On the Town - got a snappy run-through.
A touch of Broadway was also introduced as an encore by the evening's radiant guest artist, mezzo-soprano Marietta Simpson, who stepped in for an ailing Michele DeYoung last week. Simpson wrapped her sumptuous tones and classy phrasing around "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" from Jerome Kern's Showboat, backed spiritedly by the BSO's Jonathan Jensen (piano), David Sheets (bass) and John Locke (drums).
Earlier, Simpson used her considerable operatic charms to make Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix from Samson et Dalila and the Habanera from Bizet's Carmen thoroughly irresistible.
Stern was a little fuzzy in giving the audience background about the Samson aria, and there was some out-of-sorts string playing at the beginning of it. Otherwise, conductor and ensemble partnered the singer surely and sensitively in both items. It sounded like a case of mutual seduction.
