Before anything else, and I know this usually comes at the end, a very warm thank you to the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne for the invitation. Truly appreciated.
Now, funny enough… I kind of ended up at this concert because of Gioachino Rossini.
A few months ago, I had a conversation with Michele Spotti after seeing L’Italiana in Algeri at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Knowing my taste for Italian opera, he told me: “You should come to this concert in Lausanne! I think you’ll like it.”
Well… he was right.
A Schumann evening, start to finish
The program was entirely dedicated to Robert Schumann, in three parts:
- Overture in E major, Op. 52
- Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
- Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 97 (“Rhenish”)
And honestly, it was the perfect format. Balanced, progressive, and increasingly engaging as the evening went on.
No pressure, just music
What I really enjoyed about this evening is something quite simple: I came without pressure.
No “review mindset,” no deep analysis mode like when I go to the opera. Just sitting there, enjoying the music, letting it happen. And living near Lausanne, it’s also a luxury to have this kind of quality so close to home.
The piano moment
The second part, with Nelson Goerner at the piano, was probably my favorite moment of the first half.
There’s something about the relationship between piano and orchestra in this concerto that just works. It flows naturally, it breathes. And Goerner was excellent — precise, elegant, never showy.
And then — a nice surprise — he gave us a little encore: an Intermezzo by Johannes Brahms. Simple, intimate, and honestly a perfect way to extend that musical moment.
And then… the real highlight
But the real highlight of the evening came after the intermission.
The Symphony No. 3 (“Rhenish”) was, for me, on another level.
There’s an energy in that piece that almost feels… Italian, in a way. Something very alive, very direct, very emotional. And under the direction of Michele Spotti, it really came to life.
He conducts with his whole body, his whole energy — you can feel that he puts everything into it. But what’s impressive is that it never becomes messy. It stays precise, controlled, and incredibly musical.
That balance between passion and finesse? That’s where it becomes special.
Final thoughts
I came out of the concert genuinely delighted.
It’s always refreshing to step slightly outside of opera, to reconnect with pure orchestral music, and to do it in such a relaxed and enjoyable way.
So yes — thank you again to the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne for the invitation… and maybe, also, a little thank you to Rossini for indirectly bringing me there.
