Recently, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra reemerged from a COVID-19-induced cessation of music by unveiling Mozart’s “Jupiter” symphony. Though it was recorded live on stage in an empty hall for rebroadcast through the ASO’s streaming platform, the music, written in 1788, felt like a trumpeted fanfare: the ASO was back.
Whether by design or fortuitous circumstances, the ASO has used the Mozart symphony during inflection points. The work first played a significant role in ancient Atlanta classical history: Conductor Henry Sopkin programmed the symphony in January 1947 amid the ensemble’s second season. Thursday at Symphony Hall, Atlantans finally heard the Mozart piece in person mixed with enough Vivaldi that the “Jupiter” symphony could again be seen as bridging piece. This time it might usher in a renewed focus, in the near future, on Baroque programming. Nathalie Stutzmann, who will take over as music director in the fall, has expressed interest in delving more into Baroque music with the ensemble. Was Thursday’s program by Russian conductor Dmitry Sinkovsky, who also performed as a violinist and a countertenor, a bit of foreshadowing? Was the well-rounded program a continuation of the ensemble burnishing its Baroque bona fides or just a one-off presentation by Sinkovsky, who was joined in opera duets by the magnificent soprano Georgia Jarman?
Sinkovsky conducted Mozart’s symphony as a lively, and zippy, romp, keeping the music light and quick. The violins, led as always by concertmaster David Coucheron, sounded more pointed and forceful than usual during a first movement that asks the strings to present a startling contrast of assertive articulation and serene, flowing beauty. As a conductor, Sinkovsky audibly breathes with his musicians — a quick, sharp puff before an attack; a smooth, flowing exhale during a delicate passage. He also always seems to be moving — crouching down to express a pianissimo dynamic or nearly jumping around to a playful tune. His enthusiasm was heard in the music.
To open the concert, Sinkovsky stood in the middle of a small semi-circle of string players, violin in the crook of his neck, and bounced on the balls of his feet to signal the downbeat of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto RV 277, known as “Il favorito.” He led the ensemble by way of flowing dancing movements as he played the solo violin part, locking eyes with principal cellist Rainer Eudekis in frequent trio passages with Peter Marshall on harpsichord duty. In the first movement of the three-movement work, dynamic contrast and articulation took on an outsized importance amid the repetitive structure.
Bridging the gap between Vivaldi’s concerto and the forward-looking Mozart symphony, the ASO programmed a trio of songs the ensemble had never before performed. “Come scoglio,” from Mozart’s opera “Cosi fan tutte,” gave Jarman the room to stretch out her voice, exploring the wonderfully sonorous depths of her range then ascending, full-voice, to powerful highs. Equally impressive, Sinkovsky joined Jarman, while he was leading the ensemble, in two Handel duets. In “Io t’abbraccio” from “Rodelinda” and “Caro! Bella!” from “Giulio Cesare in Egitto” (which the Atlanta Opera performed in November), Sinkovsky’s radiant, expressive countertenor voice melted into Jarman’s expressive soprano. Bringing the unmistakable grain of countertenor singing to duets usually creates a memorable performance, and these duets were enchanting from the start.
Recitals featuring “Io t’abbraccio” are all over YouTube. Without much digging, you can find a video of Nathalie Stutzmann singing contralto, paired with soprano Mariella Devia, during an early 1990s performance of Marc Minkowski’s “Les Musiciens du Louvre.” The video is a lovely parallel to the current ASO performances and hearing the aria from a stage where Stutzmann will soon appear with frequency. For now, this thrilling concert by a Russian virtuoso showed us what sounds might be coming soon to Symphony Hall.
CONCERT REVIEW
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Additional performances 8 p.m. Feb. 12 and 3 p.m. Feb. 13. $29-$120. Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-733-5000, atlantasymphony.org.
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