My greatest cultural pleasure living in Cleveland has always been seeing the Cleveland Orchestra perform at Severance Hall - I grew-up experiencing the perfection of the George Szell era, and Franz Welser-Möst's current direction is my favorite since. So any time Evelyn is fortunate to be given tickets by her boss (thanks Professor), we are there.

For the week of March 18, 2010, the Orchestra fills Severance Hall with an uplifting and powerful Russian program, starting with selections from Sergei Prokofiev's (1891-1953) melodic Suite from the ballet Romeo and Juliet (1935), then stepping back to his early, avant-garde Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat major, Opus 10 (1911) - with JEAN-EFFLAM BAVOUZET giving a sparkling performance as the solo pianist.

After intermission was Modest Mussorgsky's (1839-1881) highly decorative and well-loved Pictures in an Exhibition (piano pieces originally composed in 1874, transcribed for orchestra by Vladimir Ashkenazy in 1982). A big, beautiful work that builds with intense layers to climax, the Cleveland Orchestra filled the hall with tonal explosions as powerful as, well, Russia of the day.

I noticed, the Piano soloist for the Piano Concerto No. 1, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, showed his respect for the Cleveland Orchestra by joining the audience for the second half of the concert, after his work was done - surely enjoying the rest of the performance

The Russian composer and pianist Ashkenazy conducts this weeks performances - including his Pictures in an Exhibition - with animated glee... he is an expressive joy to watch.

The Cleveland Orchestra performs this great program again Saturday, March 20, and I assume tickets are still available through their website.

I would love to bring you video highlights from the performance Evelyn and I just attended, but that is not allowed at Severance Hall. I did snap a few photos and take some video during intermission, to get realNEO members in the mood for a big show at the big hall...