The RPO perform Berlioz with the National Arts Centre Orchestra under the baton of Pinchas Zukerman
It’s not every day that two world-class orchestras from separate sides of the Atlantic come together under one roof, but this is what happened in a recent concert performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and the National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO) on the National Arts Centre stage in Ottawa, Canada. Led by conductor Pinchas Zukerman, Music Director of NACO and Principal Guest Conductor of the RPO, the sell-out audience was captivated by a thrilling performance of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique.
‘It was inspiring to witness the assembled forces and passions of two symphony orchestras…The performance was truly extraordinary’, remarked Margaret Fountain, who helped to make the concert possible through the generous support of her and her husband David, long-time donors of the National Arts Centre Foundation. The musicians enjoyed a rare opportunity to play alongside one another, enjoying a sense of camaraderie, and even swapping chairs in between the second and third movements. Douglas Burden, Bass Trombone with NACO, declared: ‘the two orchestras literally shook the rafters with all the sound of their combined forces on stage’.
