David Afkham

Orchestre National de France conducted by the youn David Afkham, presented Thursday April 4th an interesting program combination at Théâtre des Champs Élysées presenting Györgi Ligeti Atmosphères, Ludwin van Beethoven 3rd Piano Concerto virtuosely and with feeling played by Till Fellner, and ending up with Sergei Prokofiev extraits from Romeo and Julie.

Review by Henning Høholt

PARIS: Still that Beethovens 3rd pianoconcerto with Till Fellner as solist with virtuosely, romanticisme and played with feeling, in a good cooperation with the orchestra

. It was the extraits from Prokofievs Romeo and Juliette that became the highlight of the evening.

Till Fellner, photo Fran Kaufman

It was played so musically that it became spectacular for me who also write about ballet, and have seen Romeo and Juliette in many different productions all over Europe many times through the nearly 40 years. It is great some times to get Romeo and Julie in a concert version with so large an orchestra. It goves an other volume to the music. Great solo parts, exspecially the cello solo (Jean-Luc Bourré?) opening the Balcony scene, and concertmaster Luc Héry´s violinsoli during the way and in the ending
. The young tall,  slim and temperamentsfully conductor  David Afkham, during the time reminded me, of what i had the feeling of how Arturo Toscanini could have been looking on stage.

The opening work Atmosphères Györgi Ligeti, was an interesting  opening work, It had nothing, for me, to do with the rest of the programme, but it gives a good variation to a concert evening, and it gave a special atmoshaere, as the large sound parts was well formed and playes.

BRAVO