Cirque De La Symphonie

There is something very special about "live" music as opposed to electronically produced music. Tonight the Des Moines Symphony gave a New Year's Eve Concert to a sold out house. Des Moines is very fortunate to have this symphony and the citizens are very supportive of it. The program tonight was also special because of the Cirque acrobats and performers who performed with the orchestra. Their performances were choreographed perfectly with the music. The only problem I actually had with it was the people were so enthralled with their performance that they kept applauding and interrupted the music, But that was OK as I knew the music anyway.

We were treated to the following program
Light Calvary Overture - Von Suppe
Pablo de Sarasate - Zigeunerweisen OP.20
Performed (flawlessly) by Jonathan Sturm
Dance of the Rose Maidens from Gayne
Gopak from Gayne
Valse from Masquerade
Lezghinka from Gayne - All by Khachaturian
Bacchanale from Sampson and Delilah - Saint-Saens

Dance of the Comedians from the Bartered Bride - Smetana
Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin
Performed by Colton Peltier - 13 year old Piano Prodigy
Saber Dance from Gayne - Khachaturian
Bolero - Ravel

When it was all over we were lead in a chorus of Auld Lang Syne

One of the neat things about going to the Symphony was running into people I knew. Don and Anne Dricoll, The Halversons and John Iiles were all there tonight. I even met a new person who told me that every year on her birthday she has a ritual of playing Rhapsody in Blue before she goes to bed. It got me to thinking about the various rituals that we all have. Do you have any that you do that you would like to share. Use the comments.

The Video below shows some of the same Cirque performers that we saw tonight. It also has some we didn't see. The ones we saw were marvelous - (Do you think I use "awesome". "marvelous" and some other words too often? I am sure there are other more descriptive words to use but these come to mind.)

It was absolutlpositively wonderful and a great way to end the year. I hope that 2009 sees great things for each of you. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE LOVED. Thanks for stopping by. Give someone a hug and give yourself one from me (and Bailey). - j-bear