Oooh! Dutoit does a stunning Sheherazade. He just conducted that here in Chicago a few months ago and it was easily the best I have heard live.
You were right, O. It was absolutely stunning. Dutoit surprised me, though. I thought we'd get a fast, supercharged Sheherazade but the first movement reminded me...don't laugh...of Celibidache's version. It was immense, and
slow, which is how I picture the sea and is the way I like this music to go (favorite versions are Rostropovich and Celi). The Dresden brass lived up to their reputation. Among the wind soloists, the gentleman wearing the 60s do, playing the clarinet, was especially memorable. Only one complaint: even though the build-up to it was thrilling, the actual shipwreck in the Finale was underwhelming.
Lisa Batiashvili called in sick and we heard instead Boris Belkin in the Prokofiev G minor. I've never heard him live and I own few recordings, but his Tchaikovsky with Ashkenazy has long been my favorite so it was interesting to finally see him. He played the concerto flawlessly. It must be part of him now.
Dutoit's Mother Goose was excellent of course and the delicacy of the Dresden band was quite breathtaking.
Sarge