Mitsuko Uchida & Esa-Pekka Salonen
Mitsuko Uchida, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mitsuko Uchida
Walt Disney Concert HallSouth Hope Street, Los Angeles 90012
Mitsuko Uchida joins conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for their first collaboration in more than 20 years. Uchida is the piano soloist in Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, a bright, jaunty work shaped by jazz, which Ravel said should “dispense with drama and depth.” Salonen’s 12-minute Tiu, an LA Phil commission described as a palindrome-style fanfare, opens the program. After intermission, the orchestra takes on Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, the feverish, kaleidoscopic portrait of an artist’s love-obsessed delirium and opium-fueled nightmares.
Uchida is widely considered one of the most revered musicians of her time. Her playing in the Ravel concerto has drawn particular praise from Bachtrack, which commended her “lightness of touch and purity of tone,” saying it brings delicacy to a piece more often associated with drive and high spirits. Salonen leads the LA Phil as its Conductor Laureate, returning here both as conductor and composer. The afternoon places Uchida’s piano at the heart of Ravel’s sharply profiled concerto, framed by Salonen’s compact opening work and Berlioz’s expansive musical fantasy.
Designed by Frank Gehry, this concert hall is a striking architectural landmark with sweeping stainless steel curves that catch the light outside, while inside, its acoustics are meticulously crafted to deliver rich, clear sound to every seat. The auditorium seats over two thousand people in a space where the audience is fully immersed in the music, surrounded by warm wood paneling and a stage that brings performers close to listeners. The venue hosts ticketed performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other ensembles, offering an evening focused on attentive listening rather than casual socializing. Nearby bars and restaurants in Downtown Los Angeles provide options for pre- or post-show dining, but inside, the experience centers on the music in a refined, elegant setting.