UTAH SYMPHONY, STEPHEN BEUS, Abravanel Hall, additional performance tonight, 8 p.m. (355-2787)
It's always a distinct pleasure whenever Graeme Jenkins conducts the Utah Symphony. Although the British-born conductor has only been on the podium here three times in the past decade, he has always brought his insight and understanding of the music to his concerts. And the orchestra has certainly benefited from his perceptive knowledge of the symphonic repertoire.
With someone like Jenkins, the Utah Symphony sounds more confident and self-assured. And also musically it seems to blossom more fully. This was evident Friday evening when Jenkins led the orchestra in a radiant program of Wagner, Mozart and Richard Strauss.
The concert opened with the Act I Prelude from Wagner's opera "Lohengrin." As soon as the opening violin strains began, one sensed this was going to be a memorable performance.
Jenkins coaxed a shimmering sound from the violin section to open the prelude, creating an ethereal glow. And that evocative mood remained as the rest of the orchestra gradually entered.
Jenkins reading was seamless and wonderfully balanced. He has recently conducted the opera at Dallas, where he is music director, and that without question came to good use Friday as he brought suspense and drama to the piece.
The major work on the program was Strauss' epic tone poem "Symphonia Domestica," which received its long overdue Utah premiere Friday.
Strauss was a brilliant orchestrator, writing with virtuosity and creating demanding scores. But the Utah Symphony under Jenkins' inspired leadership was up to the challenge and performed stunningly, and, in fact, gave one of its best performances.
Jenkins effortlessly captured the large sweeping lines of the score and brought boldness, vibrancy and dramatic intensity to his reading, but also wonderful tenderness and feeling.
Soloist this weekend is Stephen Beus, the most recent winner of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition. He played Mozart's D Minor Concert, which he performed with clean phrasings and precise articulation, although a bit heavy handed at times.
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com