Review: Rune Bergmann gives exemplary farewell to orchestra and city
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It was a night of finales and farewells. On the last weekend in May, the CPO performed its final pair of concerts of the current season, a season with many highlights (including this one) and with 40 sold-out performances, a company first. Recovering from near bankruptcy some years ago, the CPO is now enjoying some of the strongest support it has had in many years.
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At least some of the reason for this lies in the astute programming, but perhaps even more lies in the new manner of presentation, not the least by its outgoing conductor, Rune Bergmann, whose smiling face and manner have signalled to all that classical concerts can be both serious and simple fun.
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Bergmann has been with the orchestra for nine years, which includes the difficult years of COVID-19. It hasn't been easy to bring audiences back, but Bergmann persevered and has led the orchestra in delicate performances of works by Mozart as well as monumental symphonies by Mahler.
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And it was with Mahler, specifically Mahler's popular Second Symphony (Resurrection), that Bergmann chose to conclude his time with the orchestra. A symphony about farewells, it is also about hope and new life. It is also a symphony by which to measure the growth in the performing stature of the orchestra and the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, both of which are enjoying a period in which a great many of their recent concerts have been of a very high level.
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Just this past season, the orchestra performed a splashy Carmina Burana to open its season (also with the CPO Chorus), with concerts featuring world-famous soloists like Jonathan Biss and Honens winner Nicolas Namoradze. It also gave superb performances of Mozart and Elgar with Bergmann at the helm, and a wonderful Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz. String soloists were not ignored either, with outstanding performances by violinists James Ehnes and Diana Cohen, and recently a sold-out appearance with cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
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This list of accomplishments, together with an earlier Beethoven symphony and concerto cycle and several Mahler symphonies, including an impressive performance of the Third Symphony, gives an indication of the wide range of music performed, and with impressive surety and confidence.
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These qualities marked Bergmann's final appearance with the orchestra. One could only marvel at the authority of the opening cello section solo, as well as the numerous solo turns given to the wind and brass players (especially the solo trumpet of Adam Zinatelli). The percussion section whipped up a storm, and the chorus sang with hushed emotion and, in the final moment, with dramatic grandeur.
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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Article content U.S. popstar Taylor Swift announced her 12th album, titled 'The Life of a Showgirl,' for 'pre pre-order' just after midnight Tuesday in posts on her website. Article content Her online shop displayed blurred images of a record, CD and cassette tape overlaid with a glittery orange lock, explaining the album artwork would be 'revealed at a later date.' Article content Article content Article content 'This is my brand new album 'The Life of a Show Girl',' she says in the clip from the 'New Heights' podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, American football player Travis Kelce, and his brother, ex-NFL player Jason Kelce. Article content 'The Life of a Showgirl' is the follow-up to Swift's last studio album, 'The Tortured Poets Department,' which was released last year and sold 1.4 million copies the first day. Article content Since 2021, she has been making good on her vow to re-record her first six studio records in a bid to own the rights to them. Article content Article content In June, the 14-time Grammy Award winner, who was locked in a feud with record executives since 2019 over the ownership of her music, said she had bought back the rights to her entire back catalog for an undisclosed sum. Article content Article content The 35-year-old songwriting sensation shattered records with her nearly two-year-long Eras tour that ended last year. Article content Article content Tickets for the tour sold for sometimes exorbitant prices, and it drew millions of fans. Article content
