The lights dim. The musicians get on stage. And the show silences the crowd. 

The Boston Symphony Orchestra opened their 137th season to a large crowd in Boston, MA. With conductor Andris Nelsons at the helm, the orchestra was accompanied by several guest appearances, which guided the audience through a journey of excellence. The special gala concert was devoted to the music of Leonard Bernstein and was hosted by Frederica von Stade.  

The Boston Symphony Orchestra was a dream realized by its founder Henry Lee Higginson, who envisioned an orchestra in his hometown. The Orchestra has found its way to millions of people through outlets such as radios and the internet. They have an outreach program that inspires the youths of Boston as well as young professional musicians around the globe. 

The show opened with a medley of “Divertimento for Orchestra” (1980), kicking off the piece with trumpets, drums, violins, and every musical instrument one can imagine. The instruments combined in a symphonic fashion and created a movie without a projector, bringing the crowd into a world of beautiful cinematography. Not an inch of my body moved; one unwanted sound would disturb the flow of the masters at their craft.  

The music started strong and slowed down, but felt as if it never stopped. My heart trembled with every piece, and I was overcome with goosebumps. No one knew when to clap, as the silence felt part of the music itself; it was a show of wonder that embodied the musical spirit throughout. Thirty minutes passed and we finally got to clap, and you can bet we let them have it. 

Later, legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, who was been in classical music for four decades and is better known as “Flicka,” took the microphone during a quick interlude to inform us of the rich history of Bernstein, who was a previous conductor of the BSO. He is a big influence to many of the musicians who performed, as well as to von Stade herself. She kept the show going by teasing everyone about an original created by Bernstein called “Halil,” which was going to be performed later.  

“Halil” is scored for a solo flute, among many other instruments, which brought out the first special guest, Elizabeth Rowe, who is a master of the flute. She performed flawlessly during ”Halil” and during a few other songs with the orchestra. The song captured the essence of the story of young Israeli flutist Yadin Tanenbaum, who died in the 1973 Yum Kippur War. The performance brought us back in time, retelling the story as it was first composed in 1981. 

The Orchestra welcomed another special guest, soprano Julia Bullock. Her voice reached every corner of the building without a microphone. Just her voice and the musicians carried us through the night. Soon after, von Stade graced the audience with her voice as well. She, along with other singers, gave a jovial performance that got lots of laughter from the crowd. Then, von Stade performed a duet with Bullock. 

After the duo finished their performance, the conductor came on the microphone. This is Nelson’s fourth season as a conductor, but he was still nervous. He wanted to truly bring out Bernstein’s infectious spirit. I am not alone when I say that we were all infected with the spirit of Bernstein, and even of Nelson himself, throughout the night.  

Before we knew it, the show was coming to an end. The Orchestra ended with “Symphonic Dances” from “West Side Story.” 

Future attendees are in for a treat and will be carried on a delightful journey with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Running from Sept. 22 to May 4, the show is a must-see that guarantees a rich musical experience.