An effortless, emotional performance, guaranteed to inspire your inner romantic
Domingo Hindoyan is a name you might be familiar with if you’ve ever walked past the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic or seen the banners hanging along Hope Street. Hailing from Venezuela, he’s the Chief Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, taking over from Vasily Petrenko in late 2021. For this very special performance, he was joined by lauded Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva, who has a long list of well-earned accolades, awards, and engagements. Performing alongside the historic Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, it truly was a night to remember.
In the first half the audience was treated to Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde, a striking piece to start the evening with. The orchestra performed beautifully; that well known, ethereal first chord serving as a herald for the beauty and romanticism to follow. The story of Tristan and Isolde is one of both love and heartbreak, both of which were undeniably felt throughout this rendition. Throughout the Prelude there is the hesitation of new love, the soft tenderness of a shared uncertainty, and the swell of reciprocal passion, before we are returned to that hesitation – but, certainly for those familiar with the story of Tristan and Isolde – now that softness is tinged with a sense of sadness; this is a love that cannot be, a love that cannot end in a ‘happily ever after’. Hindoyan guides the orchestra through these movements with an extraordinary connection; you can barely see where the notes end and he begins.
This is the case for the Leiberstod, too – the presence of emotion felt in the Prelude is still there, somehow more poignant, and certainly more passionate. Hindoyan’s command of the music manages to convey Isolde’s loss at the death of Tristan in such a way that one hardly realises there are no actors on stage. Isolde is there, grasping the body of Tristan, knowing that they can now only be together in death. She is transcendent.
At this point in the concert, upon the conclusion of the Prelude and Liebestod, Yoncheva takes the stage. It is not hard to see why she is regarded so highly in the field of classical music. Her voice is incredible, her performance effortless, and her ability to captivate an audience so completely is something rarely seen. The expression and emotion she is able to convey cannot be overstated; a gift she certainly shares with Hindoyan. It is undoubtedly no coincidence that she begins her performance after such an emotive performance of Prelude and Liebestod – Hindoyan is her husband, and this connection between is palpable. Throughout her rendition of Poème de l’amour et de la mer you could be forgiven for feeling almost voyeuristic, as she sings; “You appeared to me thus like the soul of things/My heart flew towards you, you took it without return/And from the half-opened sky roses rained upon us”.
The second half of the concert was a performance of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8; a stark contrast to the first half’s romanticism. It was clear that Hindoyan was enjoying himself; he threw himself into his conduction, and the orchestra played with a zeal to match. There was an unmistakable energy and power throughout all the movements, culminating beautifully in the fourth with a refreshing release of tension built during the third.
The ability to ensure that upwards of seventy people play such emotive music in harmony is a mind-blowing accomplishment, but to see the passion Hindoyan displays while doing so is something else altogether. His collaboration with Yoncheva is worth going out of your way to experience; they naturally complement each other, and their connection and dynamism while on stage is clear.The good news is that this performance was recorded and will be available from 5th December on Medici.tv – even better, you can view it for free up until the 19th.