"tall russian dude" petrenko wows los angeles

By Catherine Jones on Feb 2, 10 02:35 PM

I see our best known Russian Scouser has been making favourable headlines over in California with his concerts at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA.
And reading his latest blog entry (20C in the shade, a thrilling new(ish) venue, no snow-hit transport moans) it's clear the LA love-in is mutual.

Just remember you have a gig in Hope Street on Saturday!
The LA Times referred to Vasily Petrenko as "the tall Russian dude" - a multi-faceted play on words of course being at once true and a reference to the rather more diminutive Gustavo Dudamel who is the energetic (I recall seeing him at the Phil a few years ago and he was a ball of fizzing energy) conductor in residence at the Walt Disney hall.
It went on to say he "made a deeply felt, unforgettable impression in Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1, and in Tchaikovsky's great Manfred Symphony."
While Mr P undoubtedly deserves the plaudits, I think Liverpool as a whole should enjoy a little warm glow of pride because it's his tenure at the RLPO over the past four years which has helped shape Petrenko's talents and fire him off to acclaim on to the world stage.
So more power to his baton, and more power to the Phil too. Saturday's concert entitled Brave New World features Hindemith, Bartok and Rachmaninov's Third Symphony and there are still seats left.......