Dedicated to making symphonic music both enjoyable and accessible, the California Philharmonic Orchestra has been presenting great music with panache to Southern Cali music lovers for the past twelve years.

Over the weekend the Cal Phil kicked off their summer season at the Arboretum, and also at the magnificent Walt Disney Concert Hall, with a concert entitled “By George!” featuring works by three Georges: Handel, Gershwin and Cohan.

For the first half of the program audiences were treated to a lively sampling of music from the baroque “Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351 (1749)” suite by George Friderick Handel to the swinging tunes of 20th century composer George Gershwin, including “I Got Rhythm.” The Cal Phil also got a head start on celebrating July 4 with its salute to George M. Cohan featuring such instantly recognizable hits as “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “You”™re a Grand Old Flag.”

After such a rousing opening, we settled in for excerpts from Gershwin”™s sublime opera “Porgy and Bess,” complete with a hundred-plus choir. Joining the orchestra and choir were two marvelous soloists, renowned soprano Henrietta Davis – who performed the role of Bess in Gershwin”™s Porgy and Bess on Broadway and on tour with Houston Grand Opera across the US and Europe – and Cal Phil audience favorite, bass baritone Cedric Berry.

Gershwin”™s emotionally-charged opera contains echoes of his renowned “Rhapsody in Blue” and is reminiscent of Puccini”™s tragedy “La Boheme,” with its depth and sophistication. Soprano Henrietta Davis”™ powerful yet delicate rendition of “Summertime” brought tears to my eyes with her first few notes. The depths of her own emotion when singing the heartbreaking “My Man”™s Gone Now” saw her shuddering with grief. This was a breathtaking performance. Between them the soloists took on six different roles from Gershwin”™s opera. Cedric Berry demonstrated a staggering vocal range, from bass-baritone to tenor, and even danced a little when personifying the drug pusher Sportin”™ Life for “There”™s a boat dat”™s leavin”™ (soon for New York).”

“Cal Phil”™s mission since its inception has been to bring great music of every genre and from every era to the community,” says Dr. Victor Vener, Founder and Music Director.

Maestro Vener, in an ill-fitting suit of tails and oddly baggy pants, led the orchestra, regaling the audience with some long-winded introductory speeches during the two-and-a-half hour concert. In his efforts to make classical music more accessible to the general public, the jovial Vener interacts frequently with his audience, engaging us with stories and anecdotes. While I would have preferred less talk and more music, it certainly was illuminating to hear the background information prefacing the music he had chosen to present.

The clearly well-rehearsed yet small orchestra performed nimbly, infusing the glorious compositions with enthusiasm, cohesion and acuity. We were even treated to an encore that presented John Williams”™ stunning score for “Star Wars.” All in all it was a marvelous afternoon of popular classical music.

Upcoming concerts include:

July 11, 2009 – BASICALLY BEATLES. A magical mystery tour of Beatles classics, the Fab Four bring the Beatles to the Cal Phil stage, plus organist Phil Smith.

July 25, 2009 – SWORDS & CHIVALRY. Music of courage, bravery and romance, this is a program of swashbuckling classics ranging from films such as “Braveheart” and “Zorro,” as well as from Broadway, concert and opera stages. Pipe and drum band Cabar Feidh and Pianist Robert Thies also join the orchestra for Rachmaninioff”™s virtuosic and thrilling “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.”

ABOUT THE CAL PHIL:

In 1995, Music Director and Conductor Victor Vener and a small group of enthusiastic, dedicated music lovers based in Pasadena, California founded The CalPhil Foundation. The Foundation, a nonprofit community benefit organization, supports the California Philharmonic in its quest to expand awareness of classical music, thus increasing the interest and support for great timeless music with wide audience appeal, from the classical and operatic repertoire to diverse genres of jazz, pops, Hollywood and Broadway.

Cal Phil presents twenty-four concerts per year in five different, but equally impressive, venues throughout Los Angeles County. These series include Cal Phil at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (downtown Los Angeles), Cal Phil at the Ambassador (Pasadena), Cal Phil Music, Martinis and the Maestro (Castle Green Hotel in Pasadena), Cal Phil Festival on the Green, and Cal Phil at The Mill (The Old Mill in San Marino).

For more information, visit the Cal Phil website or call (626) 300 8200

– review by  Pauline Adamek

first posted on JetSetJen.com