DSO: Beethoven's 9th Symphony

They say it pays to have connections and tonight, we collected our dues (but don't worry, we'll reciprocate someday!).  It all started back in the Fall when we inquired with our friend about which show from the 2012-2013 Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) season we should attend, and he mentioned that we should definitely try to make it to one of the Beethoven Festival shows.  Thus, we marked our calendar for February 21 for Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the last in the series, and one of his most memorable.

In the past when we have attended DSO events, we often took advantage of the free 37/11 club where for those under 37 years old, you could take advantage of purchasing tickets for $11.  For the popular shows, if the floor or middle balcony seats didn't sell out, you could even snag some of those.  However, I assume sometime after the strike back in 2011, this program was modified to a $37 club for "the next generation" that includes benefits like the $11 tickets.  Either way, still a clever play on their Orchestra Hall address off Woodward Avenue.  We can hardly complain though as going to a concert like this in Detroit was worthy every bit of our full price tickets in the mid balcony section.  Earlier today though, we were offered box level seating!

We arrived about 45 minutes before the show (bypassing a long line of cars to park in the deck by finding a parking spot on the street just outside the employee parking!), exchanged our tickets for the upgraded seats, and met up with our friends from the DSO staff for some pre-show schmoozing.

About 10 minutes before show time, we made our way to the S box where our seats gave us a spectacular view of the stage.  Whoever didn't show up that night, thank you, because we were spoiled with these seats.  While I typically forget to wear my glasses, I could have done without them tonight as we could actually see the musicians' faces and movements.

The concert kicked off with Selections from The Creatures of Prometheus, Op. 43, which gave me time to read up on the Beethoven Festival.  Some excerpts from Leonard Slatkin's program notes:

"For every orchestra, the nine symphonies by the German master represent a summit of the musical experience.  Each is mountain that musicians must climb several times in their careers.  The journey never gets easy.  Each time we embark, we are filled with trepidation as to what new perils will confront us.

Beethoven's spirit, his struggles, his revolutionary vision remain the height of creative genius.  Listening to him grow from classical simplicity into a romantic giant is a journey worth taking in our time."

When the Symphony No. 9 began after the intermission, Scottie and I settled in to watch the brilliance of Beethoven unfold.  It was also nice to see the stage filled in a little more as we earlier wondered why the DSO seemed a bit understaffed for the Ninth.  Again, back to the program notes that eloquently described this symphony:

"Although it struggled at first, the Ninth is regarded today as a final affirmation of the humanitarian ideals that inspired Beethoven in his youth in the face of misunderstanding, personal isolation and the police state that Austria had become.  A critical tradition going back to the mid-19th century hears the Ninth as conveying an epic quest for everything symbolized by the Ode to Joy in the finale - a utopia of universal brotherhood in which all barriers set between humans through all-too-human conventions and prejudices might be torn down."

It was an hour that passed in a minute with a huge wave at the end with the vocals from the "Ode to Joy" poem sung masterfully by the operatic voices.  Nicely done.

Post-show, we headed up to Imperial again in Ferndale for a late-night dinner.  We pretty much repeated our order from the last time except Scottie branched out a little.  Still just as tasty, cheap, and busy as the last time!