Under the baton of Jac van Steen, the Honorary Principal Guest Conductor of the Ulster Orchestra who is always welcome in our midst, this young ensemble produced a stunning all-round performance in a well-filled Ulster Hall on Saturday night. The choice of a programme of what the Conductor himself described as “challenging” was an indication of the talent and confidence of the UYO in metaphorically and literally facing the music. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Belfast News Letter, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
The feisty opening short overture by the Russian composer Kabalevsky from his comic opera Colas Breugnon is a highly-spirited piece which at times is reminiscent of his compatriot Shostakovich in his Festival Overture, and also Bernstein’s Candide. This required individual and ensemble musicianship of the highest order, and the UYO was more than equal to the task. The same concert had been performed successfully on the previous evening in the Guildhall in Londonderry, and as a result the Orchestra and Conductor wisely decided to change the programme for Belfast and moved the Bartok to the first half, leaving the Prokofiev for after the interval.
Bela Bartok’s meaty Concerto for Orchestra is a remarkable work in its own right, but not easily accessible for some, but again the UYO matched every swirling mood of .