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Angel Romero, West Los Angeles Symphony, superb at Royce
REVIEWED BY CHARLES LONBERGER
Before an overflow crowd at
Royce Hall on March 29th, which served as a strong reminder of the relevance of this organization to the community, the West Los Angeles Symphony gave us a sampling of the
importance of Latin composers to the classical repertoire on a program cannily compiled by co-producers Leah S. Bergman and Joseph Neeb, which highlighted the substantial
skills of music director Angel Romero in a multitude of roles.
Oozing suave Latin charm, even when mopping his brow, Romero’s presence on the podium showcased his
striking conductorial skills, compassionate, yet firmly in control. The orchestral selections chosen were uniformly easy on the ear and audience friendly: An
“Intermedio” from Gimenez was interpreted with gusto by the conductor, who relished in its colorful orchestration, complete with castanets. Similarly, a
“Preludio” by Chapi was quasi-militaristic, high stepping and frivolous fun, while the concluding “Danzon No. 2”, by Marquez, a mish mash of styles
insistently flavored by klezmer, nightclub and easy listening, was held together by Romero’s authoritative conducting of it.
Romero showed himself highly skilled
when working with vocal soloists as well. The concert opened with selections from De Falla’s famous “El Amor Brujo.” Under Romero’s baton, the
orchestra paid shimmering attention to texture and complemented a simply beautiful horn solo. Punctured by forceful outbursts and a quirky lyricality, Romero read the score
with flair and color, and irrepressible Latin rhythms. His vocal soloist on this number, Nefretiri Romero, sang with an energizing roughness and urgency that gave the piece a
uniquely earthy character.
More traditional were the male soloists who sang Zarzuela after intermission. Especially the performance of Jose Adan Perez on
Torroba’s sweeping and theatrical “Amor, vida, de mi vida” was a revelation, his voice soaring, velvety and impassioned. Likewise, Diego Torre, on
Sorozabal’s “No puede ser”, showcased a powerful and commanding instrument, which was, as Perez’s, pitch perfect. The two were then combined on
Lara’s ever-popular “Granada.”
But, fine as all these were, it was when Romero soloed himself on Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez”
that time stood still. The baton for this piece was passed to Randall Craig Fleischer, who gave a catholic interpretation of good taste amongst the touristy themes for
strings, on this one. On guitar, Romero gave us a master class in technical bravado and made us hear the familiar with fresh ears. Although his demeanor was casual, even
jovial, and his playing remarkably crisp, he pulled the soul out of his instrument in a masterful, definitive, and simply unforgettable performance.
Romero is exactly
what Los Angeles needs: an artist with a clear vision, musical integrity and the skills to communicate it in every function, whether it be as music director, conductor or
soloist. Musicians of this caliber do not come our way often, and jolt audiences that have become accustomed to mediocrity and pretension.
And thus did the West Los
Angeles Symphony, with this exciting and vibrant, yet, thoroughly enjoyable concert energize the local music scene, with a concert going experience of the highest order.
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