Here is the Opening Night program for the New York Philharmonic. I’m listening live on WQXR online. This seems like a somewhat strange opening night program to me. Opera arias on opening night? Not a single symphony on the program? I guess I just prefer an overture, concerto, and symphony for an opening night.
I did enjoy the The School for Scandal Overture as an opener and I’ll listen to the rest of the program. Not sure I would have paid to go to this opening night, however.
I’m kind of old school when it comes to programming these things: an Overture, a Concerto, a Symphony. One from the Classical era, an early Romantic, a late Romantic. You can vary a bit on this formula, but not too much.
This program, with 2 Barbers, 2 Wagners and an R. Strauss… it’s like a meal of 2 crab dishes, 2 lobster dishes and a dessert of shrimp ice cream.
I agree with both of you, and I’ll go a step further: I don’t think I’d go to this concert, even if it weren’t Opening Night . . . well, unless someone gave me a free ticket.