Minnesota Orchestra concludes a tough year with a cathartic concert REVIEW: Minnesota Orchestra s virtual New Year s Eve concert released pent-up tension.
By ROB HUBBARD, Special to the Star Tribune January 1, 2021 5:51pm Text size Copy shortlink:
An eruption occurred about halfway through the Minnesota Orchestra s New Year s Eve concert at an Orchestra Hall devoid of audience members. When music director Osmo Vänskä took the podium for the first time since early October, a catharsis gushed forth.
The piece was Starburst by American composer Jessie Montgomery, whose music is deservedly getting a lot more attention from American orchestras. This wind-whipped work for strings became an onstage storm in the hands of Vänskä and the 24 masked and socially distanced string players gracing the stage.