Pappano puts the orchestra centre stage

Antonio Pappano, the Royal Opera’s music director, has long wanted to take his excellent orchestra out of the pit and onto the stage, his “dream”, as he announced to the audience. In this concert (the first of what will now be an annual event), he got the opportunity to show what a flexible and accomplished group of musicians he has at his disposal. The orchestra was tightly packed onto the stage surrounded by a tasteful wooden set which helped dampen the sound but made climaxes a trifle constricted times. This opening concert contained nothing too profound, lush late romantic/impressionistic works (with the exception of the Bernstein) designed to showcase the put centre stage the talents of the Royal Opera House Orchestra. And for the most part it worked. The two short Ravel works kicked off proceedings and reaffirmed Pappano’s…