Jocelyn Morlock: My Name is Amanda Todd; Janáček: Sinfonietta; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23. Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Gustavo Gimeno, conductor; Yuja Wang, piano. April 16, 2025, Roy Thomson Hall. Repeats tonight, April 17, and Saturday, April 19; tickets here.
International superstar pianist Yuja Wang makes a welcome return to Toronto for three performances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra this week. She is unquestionably one of the select few artists who drives tickets sales, and audiences are happy to pay $200 even for a seat in the choir loft.
Although yesterday’s full house at Roy Thomson Hall was there for the main event after intermission, the first half did not disappoint with an interesting and well-played program.
First Half: TSO
My Name is Amanda Todd by Jocelyn Morlock is a powerful memorial of the Canadian teenager who tragically took her own life at the young age of 15, after enduring relentless cyberbullying. From the melancholic strings opening to the agitated, discordant winds and brass that mirror the incessant noises of negativity on the internet, the music is a thoughtful reflection of Amanda’s emotional distress and suffering. The piece slowly transforms into a harmonious and almost peaceful ending that signifies hope and redemption, an appropriate remembrance of Amanda’s legacy.
Leoš Janáček’ dedicated the Sinfonietta to the Czechoslovak army, celebrating the Czech state’s declaration of independence. It is a bold statement of artistic and national identity. The piece opens with a striking fanfare of brass and drums, expertly played by an expanded brass section that was more than double its usual size.
This was followed by a lush, romantic Andante with rich orchestral colours. The next two movements were filled with energetic dance-like passages and joyous trumpet fanfare that evoked lively and festive celebrations.
TSO Music Director Gustavo Gimeno kept a tight ship and weaved all the intricate elements together, while giving a distinctive voice to each section. The opening fanfare echoing nationalistic pride resurfaced in the final movement, and Gimeno effectively built tension that culminated in an explosive and triumphant finish.
This rarely-performed piece has not been on the TSO concert roster for almost 20 years, and deserves to be heard more often.
Yuja Wang: Tchaikovsky & More
Yuja Wang is known for her bold, unreserved style — in both her pianistic artistry and fashion choices, the latter being an authentic extension of her musical personality. After making a grand entrance in a sparkly long gown with a plunging neckline (designed in Toronto by Atelier Rosemarie Umetsu), along with her trademark sky-high Louboutin stilettos, she launched into the double-octave cascades of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with fearless intensity. Although the first movement is full of powerful, fiery passages, she showed skillful control in not getting the biggest sound, but in balancing against the ethereal, tender allegro lines.
This was especially apparent in the second movement, in which she kept a distinctively lighter touch and a slightly slower tempo, revealing an acute sensitivity to phrasing that was imbued with thoughtful dramatics. Her technically flawless playing gave the feeling she was conversing with an old friend, yet still discovering something fresh and new in their relationship.
Gimeno gave the soloist ample space and freedom to express, while the orchestra responded with equally brilliant playing, and there were fine solos from the oboe, clarinet and cello. In the final movement, there was impeccable clarity in Wang’s rapid-fire passages, and the dynamic interplay between the soloist and orchestra was again evident.
Wang generously rewarded the very enthusiastic audience with three encores. The first piece, Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez, was perhaps a tribute to Gimeno’s Spanish roots. Even though this may not have been Wang’s most familiar repertoire, and she had Gimeno flip the pages on the iPad, she vividly captured the essence of the spirited and sultry dance.
The second encore was a surprising piano arrangement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, which Wang captivated with electrifying energy. The audience was clearly not getting enough, and they went wild when Wang sat down for the third time for the Etude No. 6 by Philip Glass. Again, Wang’s dazzling virtuosity and passionate playing were on fully display.
It was a spectacular evening that left everyone feeling exuberant.
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