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On 24^th March, 2014, an album with famous names on it will be released internationally: the pianist Evgheni Kissin, the conductor James Levine and the New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. On the same day you will be able to listen to the album for the first time at Radio Romania Music and, furthermore, it is included in the Vote the Best Classical Album of 2014 campaign, where I invite you to rate the albums from the competition.

A conductor...

Therefore, we are faced with a concert that took place at Carnegie Hall in New York on 19^th May, 2013, a concert with special meaning as it was the first one that Levine conducted after a two year break because of health issues. As you may notice, the audience received, with overwhelming warmth, the conductor who tied his destiny to the New York Metropolitan Opera since 1971 and whose musical director he is today. James Levine is one of the most esteemed American conductors: his track record contains no less than ten Grammy awards, from which five were won together with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, a renowned ensemble not only for its opera repertoire, but also for its symphonic one. Few orchestras can be proud of having a blower faction like the MET or with such an expressive violin faction, with a firm and qualitative sound, which can be admired in the prelude of the first act of the Lohengrin opera by Wagner.

A soloist...

A much awaited moment on 19^th May, 2013, was certainly the performance of the pianist Evgheni Kissin, soloist for the Opus 58: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major by Ludwig van Beethoven.

In September 2013, at the ‘George Enescu’ International Festival, the recital of the pianist Evgheni Kissin did not seem to be the most inspired, but after listening to this version of Piano Concerto No.4 by Beethoven, performed in a concert with the New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, conducted by James Levine, I can say that I finally recognized the aura of Kissin’s special talent. It is not a technically perfect interpretation, but it is extremely expressive, with the second part made as a completely antagonistic discourse between the orchestra and the piano, emphasizing the drama of this part that I think of as a dialogue between man and his fate.

As it was natural, Evgheni Kissin also performed an encore at Carnegie Hall on 19^th May, 2013.

And once again about the conductor...

‘One of the greatest American conductors alive’ ... ‘His return was a triumph’ ... ‘it was not just a concert, it was a celebration’ – wrote the most important American magazines after the concert on 19^th May, 2013. For over 40 years now, James Levine has been making history alongside the New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, if we just think about the fact that he conducted over 2.500 performances of 85 different operas. Furthermore, we have listened to him as well at Radio Romania Musical on the live broadcast of the Metropolitan, on An Evening at the Opera – most recently on 14^th December, 2013. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra performs every year in at least three concerts at Carnegie Hall and every one of them will be conducted by James Levine in the present season.

From opera to one of the early romantic masterpieces, in his concert at Carnegie Hall on 19^th May, 2013, James Levine included in the second part the monumental Symphony No.9 by Franz Schubert. It is a version full of grandeur, just like the American orchestras know how to perform.