Critic’s picks: Best Tarrant-area classical music and opera performances of 2014

The Cliburn Competition and its consequent musical programs are always a strong element in Fort Worth’s arts scene, but they are by no means exclusive. In 2014, for example, the Fort Worth Opera scored points with two exceptionally fine productions, and other organizations had high points of their own.

Following are some memorable programs from throughout the year, in order of preference.

1. Fort Worth Opera Festival’s ‘Silent Night’

May, Bass Hall

Kevin Puts’ exceptionally atmospheric music, Mark Campbell’s dramatic libretto and a production design that strongly enhanced the painful story about a doomed First World War truce made this the most engrossing two and a half hours of the season.

The large cast had outstanding members, including soprano Ava Pine as the female lead, tenor Chad Johnson as a German draftee whose profession is opera singer, baritone Craig Irvin as a German officer, and baritone Jesse Enderle as a British officer.

The physical production — including lighting, sound and costumes — was outstanding. Sets were like something from an old photograph depicting the mayhem of World War I battlefields.

And Joe Illick conducted a subtle, often dramatic performance by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

2. Cliburn at the Kimbell presents pianist David Fray

November, Piano Pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum

This remarkable young Frenchman found poetry in selections from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, and drama aplenty as well as lyric beauty in two mighty Beethoven sonatas. A powerful introduction of an artist new to the city.

3. Fort Worth Opera Festival’s ‘Così fan tutte’

April, Bass Hall

A top-notch cast, witty staging and superb orchestral playing made this one of the highlights of the season. Mozart and Da Ponte’s take on the war of the sexes had the first-night audience erupting in the kind of laughter you might have heard at Neil Simon’s peak.

4. Hall Ensemble, ‘It Must Be!’

October, Avoca Coffee

The Hall Ensemble most often plays chamber music in elegant houses — a tradition begun centuries ago in Europe. But this time the venue was a coffeehouse — another tradition, this time dating to Bach’s day. Beethoven’s final quartet was the highlight of a joyous, spirit-lifting evening.

5. Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra with pianist Simone Dinnerstein

October, Bass Hall

Two guests, pianist Simone Dinnerstein and conductor Carlos Kalmar, presented an Olympics-worthy performance of Beethoven’s “Emperor” concerto. Superb performances of music by Britten and Ravel were the icing on the cake.

6. Sean Chen at PianoTexas

June, PepsiCo Recital Hall, Texas Christian University

Chen, third-place winner at the 2013 Cliburn Competition, was even more impressive in this highly varied program of Mozart, Copland, Bach, Chopin and Ravel.

7. Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra with violinist Augustin Hadelich

August, Bass Hall

Conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya and his orchestra were in top form for music of Dvorak, including his beloved “New World” symphony. Hadelich, a familiar figure to FWSO regulars, gave a poetic reading of Brahms’ solo violin concerto.

8. Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth with pianist Alessandro Deljavan

November, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Deljavan, an audience favorite at the last Cliburn Competition, proved decisively that he is a master of the chamber-music genre, giving strong but well-balanced performances of music by Brahms and Dvorak. His colleagues, violinist Gary Levinson (the organization’s artistic director), violist Michael Klotz and cellist Allan Steele, were also in great form.

9. Cliburn at the Bass presents pianist Barry Douglas

May, Bass Hall

Douglas, one of the most prominent concert artists today, gave subtle, idiomatic performances of music by Viennese giants Schubert and Brahms.

10. Schola Cantorum of Texas, ‘Deep River’

October, Grapevine’s First United Methodist Church

In a concert full of memorable sounds and deep emotions, director Jerry McCoy and the Schola Cantorum beautifully explored this vein of American music. Steal Away was a deeply moving highlight.

This story was originally published December 29, 2014 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Critic’s picks: Best Tarrant-area classical music and opera performances of 2014."