Sommerfest gets intense

The centerpiece -- and highlight -- of Saturday's Minnesota Orchestra Sommerfest concert was a thrilling and moving performance of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor.

But of special programmatic interest were the performances of two Stravinsky ballets, "The Firebird" (1910) and "Petrushka" (1911). Though written only a year apart, they could hardly be more different.

Russian-born violinist Philippe Quint cut a dashing figure on the Orchestra Hall stage and had the kind of esprit to make the most of Mendelssohn's sweeping, quintessentially Romantic concerto.

Moment after moment, he dazzled with breathtaking mastery. But beyond mere virtuosity, he played the lyrical score with an intensity that gave the sentimental melodies real passion and drama.

It was a pleasure to watch how he and conductor Andrew Litton reacted and responded to one another. Under Litton's direction, the orchestra played with clarity and flair, warmly dialoguing with the soloist.

The Minnesota Orchestra played the Suite from "The Firebird" as recently as last May, but it warrants hearing again, especially under Litton's sensitive baton. He emphasized the magical fairy tale's old-fashioned Romanticism.

With "Petrushka," Stravinsky created a more modern sound. He explored bi-tonality, the simultaneous sounding of the dissonant C and F-sharp major chords becoming known as the "Petrushka chord." The ballet tells a grotesque story, the violent travails of the puppet Petrushka (a Russian version of Punch or Pulcinella), and Stravinsky responded with grotesque sounds.

Litton was effective in creating splashy musical effects, investing the score with magic and mystery, but not shying away from its coarseness. He was particularly successful in emphasizing Petrushka's tragedy, from his despair in his grim cell, to his humiliation by other puppets, to his death and ghostly reappearance.

Both Stravinsky scores gave the orchestra a chance to demonstrate the virtuosity of its members.

With this program, there was the opportunity to put Stravinsky's work in historical context, to really let the audience experience his musical evolution. But instead, the ballets were played at opposite ends of the evening and in reverse order. An opportunity missed.