An Evening with Itzhak

I grew up in a household of classical string music. My parents met in the Stanford University Orchestra, and retained their love of classical music all their lives. Mom and Dad practiced their violin and cello every night, and played chamber music with friends at least monthly. Classical music was on in the car, and about the house during the weekend.

So when I learned last fall that Itzhak Perlman — one of the greatest living concert violinists — was going to be soloing with the Colorado Symphony this week, tickets seemed like the perfect birthday gift for my mom.

Based on her reaction, it was. And while my devotion to classical music is maybe a scosh less than Mom's, I had a great time.

The first half of the concert was the CSO alone, but in the second half, Perlman zipped out on his scooter — he's only in his early 70s, but was crippled by polio — and leveraged himself up onto a chair on a dais by the conductor. From there, through the performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Perlman performed with studied ease and verve, treating the music as old friend, ably backed by the Symphony.

We had overall good seats, Mezz 4 to the far audience right of the orchestra, but from one perspective the second worst in the house, as the conductor blocked our view of Perlman for much fo the performance. (At that, we were better off than folk in the very expensive front row whose view of Perlman was blocked by his scooter.) But even when we couldn't see him, we could hear him. Heavenly stuff.

A lovely evening, and I think Mom enjoyed it a lot.

3 new photos by Dave Hill

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