The morning after

Last night's CSO concert with Valery Gergiev in Music Hall was the most thrilling event of the classical season, bar none. Here are a few impressions from last night:

The big crowd, that was totally different from the usual concert nights. Russian was being spoken in all quarters, and there were also a lot of opera folks, I'm told.

A few people showed up expecting to be fed... (There is a buffet for Thursday subscription concerts.)

No sign of politicians anywhere. What a missed opportunity! Where was Mr. Mayor?? I didn't see Mr. Vice Mayor, either (though I may have missed him).

Spotted in the crowd: concert pianist Alexander Toradze, Cincinnati Opera's Evans Mirageas and the Polusmiak family of pianists. Paavo, who was touring in Italy with his Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, called his friend several times to make sure all was going smoothly.

Gergiev looked relaxed, happy and engaged -- not at all the the charismatic-but-moody maestro with furrowed brow and two days of stubble that seems to be his press image. He packed more instruction into two rehearsals than most conductors do in five, said pianist Michael Chertock. Assistant conductor Eric Dudley said he was congenial and pleasant during the closed rehearsals.

After the concert, there was a crush in the green room and a line that went clear down the hall to symphony offices. When asked about the hall, Gergiev said it was "big," and that he liked the sound. Incidentally, he's heard the orchestra at least twice before, on tour in Vienna and Tokyo.

Other thoughts: Should the CSO consider a "gala" concert with a big star every season?

If you missed the review I posted last night, click here.