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Memories -

I’ve reviewed most of Nir Kabaretti’s concerts with the Santa Barbara Symphony since his first season 19+ years ago. Below are some review excerpts from the past three or so years. Click each concert header to link to the entire review and photos.

Santa Barbara Symphony on January 18-19 2025 Mozart Marathon

“ . . . Kabaretti chose to focus on the bright and playful side of Mozart’s complex personality, while also cleverly weaving a potent handful of narrative anecdotes into the fabric of the two concerts to gently separate the human being from the demigod.”

“Santa Barbara Symphony audiences are fortunate. The curator-in-chief of music programming for the orchestra, Music and Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti is a master at conjuring fresh, beautifully imagined, and carefully crafted concert programs.”

Santa Barbara Symphony on October 19, 2024 Tributes and Triumphs

“With Kabaretti at the helm, and the orchestra an ensemble of professionals from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles who have played together for decades, it will cause no surprise to report the performance was stunning.”

State Street Ballet and Santa Barbara Symphony make history: Giselle on October 21-22 2023

Nir Kabaretti has conducted ballet all over Europe for years. Giselle‍ is one of classical ballet’s greatest masterpieces and these performances were Kabaretti’s much anticipated debut in Santa Barbara as a ballet conductor. Needless to say, the collaboration with State Street Ballet was spectacular.

“Music and Artistic Director of the Symphony Nir Kabaretti was at the helm in the pit, and the professional dancers of State Street Ballet under new Artistic Director Megan Philipp knew it. The company was more than up to the task, achieving a high level of artistry and execution, confident the maestro would have their back. The Granada Theatre was sold out for both weekend performances.”

“Buoyed from working with such an experienced ballet conductor, the dancer’s artistic self-confidence became beautifully empowered. The result on stage was more than usually exciting, often spectacular. The company’s expertise in executing this historic model of virtuoso classical ballet was clearly enhanced by the company’s trust in the conductor in the pit. Risks were taken, heights were achieved.”

Santa Barbara Symphony launches 2023-2024 season with Beethoven's Ninth on October 14 & 15 2023

“One constant among many in Santa Barbara’s vibrant cultural life is Santa Barbara Symphony Music and Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti. Not only is this small city on the American Riviera lucky to have such an internationally famous conductor in residence, he’s a nice guy and sensitive artist to boot.”

“Kabaretti, who has conducted Beethoven’s masterpiece on several occasions in various venues worldwide, made it clear by his relaxed but confident manner, he and his incredible orchestra were in familiar, even intimate territory.”

“The result, as choristers, orchestra, soloists, and audience alike discovered, was a whirlwind of energy as Beethoven wanted it; thrilling, fast-paced, full of surprises. The combined choirs sang with new intensity, wonderful balance, and inspiring exaltation – exactly as Beethoven wanted it.”

Santa Barbara Symphony Concert on May 14, 2023 Platinum Sounds

“I remember the premiere of (Jonathan Leshnoff) Concerto Grosso in 2013, a rather head-in-the-music affair like most premieres. Last Sunday’s performance danced with energy, color, and bright optimism; a tribute to the orchestra’s ensemble cohesion and growth over the past decade under Nir Kabaretti’s steady helm.”

“Revealing at least one or two of its sub-basements (Symphony No. 1) Kabaretti and the orchestra explored Brahms’ darkest intimations, his sometimes over the top longings, his resignations, and apotheoses. Magnificent playing, brilliant conducting, and several musical revelations this listener has never noticed, produced a performance Sunday that brought the house to its feet.”

Santa Barbara Symphony review - April 15, 2023: Beethoven Dreams

“A thrilling display of confident virtuosity was the hallmark of last weekend’s Santa Barbara Symphony concerts at the Granada Theatre. Conductor Nir Kabaretti was back on the podium between stints at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm – his manner and energy bespeaking a burgeoning international career. In the concertmaster chair, a weekend cameo appearance by world famous violinist Gilles Apap, whose diverse musical personality and brilliant mind has garnered him a wide following of faithful acolytes around the globe.”

“Kabaretti and the orchestra topped the evening with a magnificent performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, it’s four movements whisking by with breezy élan and not a little bravura playing. Beethoven was always complaining his music was not being played fast enough, and the maestro apparently agrees, keeping the pace razor sharp, feather light, and, well, bouncy. Fantastic!”

Santa Barbara Symphony Review- February 18, 2023: Transformation

“Embracing musical diversity, Nir Kabaretti, Music and Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony, assembles his concert programs like a filmmaker, bringing disparate musical images together in spectacular sonic convergence around a single, profound trope. Kabaretti’s magical tour for the Symphony’s concerts last weekend at the Granada Theatre pirouetted on the notion of transformation - sometimes obvious, often intangible.”

“Kabaretti allowed the Strauss (Death and Transfiguration) to speak expressively on its own account, without overindulging himself or the music – no easy discipline with such an emotionally charged and transcendental work of sonic art. It takes a seasoned ensemble of professional musicians to navigate Strauss’s orchestral description of death and beyond. The Santa Barbara Symphony acquitted itself, as audiences have come to expect, with finesse, energy, and tight ensemble discipline. First-class playing from all sections.”

“Ravel’s Boléro can easily become a bloody bore if not paced with steely precision and careful sound layering. It’s an extremely tricky work, particularly because of its deceptive simplicity. Wildly popular, it doesn’t help that most everybody in an audience knows the tune and will quickly discern the slightest lull in carefully notched intensity. Pacing – not too slow, not to fast, never erratic – is the secret and curse of the work. Kabaretti and colleagues know the piece, understand the potential problems, and gave Saturday’s audience a thrilling performance.”

Santa Barbara Symphony Review - January 21, 2023: Plains, Trains & Violins

“The orchestra and Kabaretti jousted and tarried danced and pivoted, with meter changes flying in all directions like bats out of hell, while Figueroa, sanguine in his complete mastery of the piece (Miguel del Águila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 94, El viaje de una vida) kept things steady, well-paced, and pertinent. As encore, fellow Porto Rican Ernesto Cordero’s Concertino Tropical.”

“Nuanced phrasing, careful balances, an indefatigable horn section (yes!), tight percussion battery, super elegant wind and low brass section playing, and lush string ensemble cohesion and color spoke truth to the notion that under Kabaretti’s leadership and humanity, the Santa Barbara Symphony might well be one of the best regional orchestras on the west coast.”

SANTA BARBARA SYMPHONY CONCERT 19 NOVEMBER 2022

“It isn’t often a community has an opportunity to learn about itself through art. Santa Barbara Symphony Music and Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti’s carefully crafted program last weekend at the Granada Theatre included a world premiere by Santa Barbara composer Cody Westheimer, his Wisdom of the Water, Earth, Sky; Robert Schumann’s love letter to his wife Clara, the Piano Concerto in A minor; a gorgeous realization of Jean Sibelius’ Valse Triste; and a splendidly clean and nuanced performance of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor.”

“Conducting from memory, as throughout most of the program, maestro Kabaretti gave his Saturday night audience a gorgeous and moving interpretation of Valse Triste, followed by a crackerjack virtuoso performance of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550.”

SANTA BARBARA SYMPHONY: CARMINA BURANA REVIEW OCTOBER 15, 2022

“Packed houses on Saturday night and at Sunday afternoon’s matinee, sipped champagne in celebration of the Santa Barbara Symphony’s 70th birthday, while also raising a collective toast to the performing arts professionalism we enjoy year-round in this community.”

“Tight performance standards and compelling energy marked the entire program Saturday night, charioted with vigor by Santa Barbara Symphony Music and Artistic Director Nir Kabaretti, who kept the pace and purpose of all three works on the program athletic, taut, and intellectually exciting.”

“A bonus made particularly apparent during the orchestra’s elegantly cosmopolitan performance of the Bacchanale scene from Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera Samson and Dellilah (1877); being elevated, thus closer to the acoustic shell’s ceiling panels, the orchestral sound projecting into the hall seemed particularly clean, balanced, articulate, and detailed.”

Daniel Kepl | performingartsreview.net

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