After the intermission I noticed that there was no music stand for the conductor. Hmmm, guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen was going to do this one from memory. This could be good.

My hopes increased.

Concert master Jeff Thayer was going to play the violin solos. Hmmm, this should be good.

My hopes increased.

The music started and Sinbad's ship came sailing through loud and clear.

I hope, I hope, I hope.

What did I hope? I hoped the blasted trumpets would come through and finally play a clean concert.

They did.

I was shocked. I can't remember the last concert I heard where the trumpets made it all the way through a piece with out flubbing the dub.

Actually, I can remember. It was Pictures at an Exhibition but that was before The Daughter of the Regiment overture.

I won't elaborate on the overture but I will say it was consistent every single night.

So, the trumpets did the minimum with Scheherazade--the minimum being to play the correct notes without stumbling.

The performance as a whole was one of the best I've heard. The ensemble was tight, the conductor was dynamic, and the violin solos were breath taking.

I loved Mei-Ann Chen's conducting. She appeared to have enough energy to supply a small electrical storm. If the flux capacitor from Back to the Future could conduct, it would be like Chen.

As the piece conclude with Mr. Thayer intoning the unwavering voice of Scheherazade, that magic moment of truth arrived.

Beautiful.