Headbanging for Barenboim

Outside, waiting in queue to get in the Odeon

Inside, just a few minutes before El Dani's entrance

~

~5,000 people and every single ticket sold~

That was the verdict of the concert of June the 29th at the Odeon Of Herodes Atticus, featuring maestro/pianist Daniel Barenboim and the Filarmonica della Scala.

In a program consisting of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.3 and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, il maestro and the orchestra, did not fulfill our-admittedly- very high expectations but nevertheless received the audience's frenzied ovation.

Peak moment: Daniel Barenboim at the piano, rewarding us with Chopin's Nocturne no.8.

Wrong entrances, mistakes - both by the orchestra and the soloist, a few squeeks from the brass during Ludwig's 3rd Concerto, were probably the result of the lack of rehearsals (unforgivable for an Orchestra and a maestro/pianist of this calibre) - no wonder why the rehearsal -that lasted 'till just 20 minutes before the scheduled time of the concert- kept the theatre's gates closed and about 5,000 people queueing at the entrances.



The Symphonie Fantastique sounded also quite unrehearsed but the experience was overall a lot better. First two movements didn't get my attention and I was wondering if it was me or the orchestra that were more bored. Probably the Orchestra. Then, during the "Scène aux champs" things started to get better and better and the peak arrived with "Songe d'une nuit de sabbat". Loud, really loud as a matter of fact, but fantastique indeed!

La Forza del Destino ouverture for the encore and the audience going really wild ("I really needed some Verdi after that" said a Mme behind me), but certainly not the best Forza I 've ever heard.


Needless to say that the athenians worshipped El Dani and they kept calling him on stage again and again. No more encores guys, hit the road.

~

A wonderful night indeed, a nice surprise by the athenians that flooded the Odeon, and a very good answer to the Director of the Athens Festival, mr. Loukos,
and his poor allegations (regarding low ticket-selling for classical music concerts).

Maybe you should give it a second thought herr Loukos?
Coz now, you really don't have an excuse...