<<  -- 3 --  Kelly Ferjutz    MAGNIFICENT WAGNER

Richard Stout demonstrated the beauty and unusual sound quality of the bass trumpet. Desmond Hoebig, principal cello; Linnea Nereim, bass clarinet; Franklin Cohen, principal clarinet; Joshua Smith, principal flute; Frank Rosenwein, principal oboe; Robert Walters, english horn; William Preucil, concertmaster; Yasuhito Sugiyama, tuba and Michael Sachs, principal trumpet were all asked to stand for a special bow, before the entire orchestra was bid to rise, as well. It really was a superb group effort.

After two bows, with the cheers still resounding through the auditorium, Mr Guerrero bounced back onto the podium and gave a sudden downbeat -- he just happened to still have the baton in his hand, and away they all went again into the Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin! There was mayhem at the end of this piece as well! Everyone present was clapping: audience, conductor and musicians. Even after more than an hour and a quarter of intense, emotional Wagner, Mr Guerrero still bounced down from the podium and off-stage, and bounced back out again for bows! It was a love fest, all around -- an evening not soon to be forgotten.

Mr Guerrero was born in Nicaragua and raised in Costa Rica. He studied percussion at Baylor University and conducting at Northwestern. Remember that name. This concert, incidentally, will be broadcast on WCLV-FM on Sunday 18 June 2006 at 4pm EDT. It will also be on the web at www.wclv.com -- I can hardly wait to hear it again.

Next week, pianist Michiko Uchida returns for two weeks of concerts: the first week it'll be two Mozart works and the following week, the Schumann concerto. For tickets or information about these or other upcoming concerts, call +1 (216) 231 1111, or visit the orchestra's web-site: www.clevelandorchestra.com