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Customer Reviews for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

Columbus Symphony Orchestra

Read Columbus Symphony Orchestra reviews and post your own reviews and ratings.

Average rating:

4.7

(211 Reviews) 211

Rating Snapshot (211 reviews)

5 stars

155

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203 of 211(96%)customers would recommend this to a friend.

Columbus Symphony Orchestra Fan Reviews - Ticketmaster

Review 1 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Brahm's Requiem

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Apr 19, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Baritone soloist was sublime. @

Posted 04/23/2013

by sjaynemiks

Location:Columbus

Always a delight to hear the CSO and Chorus. The music was beautiful as always, and the guest soloists were magnificent.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Apr 19, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Baritone soloist was sublime. @

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Review 2 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

The Columbus Symphony Chorus is superb!

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Apr 19, 2013 @

Favorite moment: What a treat to also hear the world premiere choral piece-- especially the 2nd movement, a capella!! @

Posted 04/22/2013

by JohannPT

Location:Lancaster, Ohio

Ron Jenkins has trained the chorus to a very high level of skill in dynamic control and balance of sound (no shrill sopranos stood out), and, in singing Brahms German Requiem, their diction in their German pronunciation was exceptionally clear. One could hear every umlaut.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Apr 19, 2013 @

Favorite moment: What a treat to also hear the world premiere choral piece-- especially the 2nd movement, a capella!! @

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Review 3 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Beautiful

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Apr 20, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Joshua Hopkins and Twyla Robinson in the Brahms. @

Posted 04/22/2013

by Figarooooo

Location:Columbus, OH

Brahms' German Requiem is a wonderful piece. It's demanding for the soloists and the chorus, with some challenges for the orchestra as well. It all came together beautifully. Joshua Hopkins' voice has the right quality to give the music energy and momentum. Twyla Robinson's solo soared with her stunning upper range. The chorus was sensitive and cohesive. The choir's big moments could have had a bigger sound; perhaps that is the fault of the hall. Zeitouni's tempos were good; his conducting was expressive yet clear.
Knoxville: Summer of 1915 was generally very good. Unlike in the Brahms, Ms. Robinson's voice didn't always carry well to the mid-balcony, particularly when singing in the same range as the violins. Her high range did shine at moments, but her words were almost completely lost, perhaps because of the hall.
Of Songs and Singing by Stephen Paulus had its world premiere this weekend, though oddly, the composer didn't appear to be there on Saturday. The choice of poems was interesting and there was some colorful writing for the orchestra. The choral music was a bit dull with a lot of unison singing or simple harmony. Again, the words were mostly lost.
There were slight flaws in the orchestra's performance, but at times they were outstanding. In all, it was a very enjoyable concert!

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Apr 20, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Joshua Hopkins and Twyla Robinson in the Brahms. @

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Review 4 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

4 / 5

Columbus Symphony Orchestra Presents The Rite Of S

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

Posted 04/09/2013

by MHTheCount

Location:Columbus

A fabulous show that was well produced and well executed. Congratulations to all concerned. My only complaint was the cost of tickets which felt poor value for an evening's entertainment since the whole performance (including two pieces by Debussy and one by Ravel as well as the Stravinsky) was only 60 mins.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

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Review 5 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

4 / 5

Creatively Dancing a Statement

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

Favorite moment: So many! @

Posted 03/26/2013

by McRoon

Location:Columbus

BalletMet did a wonderful job dancing several very different pieces. The choreography was exquisite in the opening ballet - a lovely blend of classical technique in a modern presentation. They delivered the sultry 'attitude' on the Rhapsodie before the music began, stepping out to take their places with flair and attitude.
The Rite of Spring was creative, post-modern and both visually and intellectually engaging. I would love to read notes on the thinking of the choreographers in general. Their minds work in a unique way - they are definitely philosophers.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

Favorite moment: So many! @

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Review 6 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

Posted 03/26/2013

by Anonymous

Great music, great dancing, was a lovely experiance.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

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Review 7 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

2 / 5

Misguided "Rite of Spring"

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Two dancers in the Afternoon of a Faun @

Posted 03/26/2013

by Anonymous

I was looking forward to seeing Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" danced during its centennial year, but this left a bad taste in my mouth. Ballet Met and the Columbus Symphony collaborated on 3 pieces. The Debussy and Ravel performances were quite good, with the edge going to the pas de deux in the Debussy. But the centerpiece of the evening, the Stravinsky landmark ballet, was a huge disappointment: the orchestra playing and the technical dancing were good, but the choreography and costumes were worse than awful. Costumes looked like a come-as-you-are party from the K-Mart sellout rack, and the choreography looked like it was designed for some other piece of music. The whole idea of the Rite of Spring is that a maiden is chosen as a sacrifice and dances herself to death. The choreographer apparently did not know this. This is one of the few times I've seen a Columbus audience NOT give an automatic standing ovation--I'd say about 1/3 to 1/2 stood--so you can't fool all the people all the time. I heard lots of grumbling, and the word "awful" mentioned in the lobby afterward. I applaud Ballet Met for trying something new, but boy, they missed on this one.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Two dancers in the Afternoon of a Faun @

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Review 8 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Excellent production--costumes disappointing

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

Posted 03/26/2013

by Anonymous

I'm new to Central Ohio, so I had no expectations for the 100th anniversary performance of Rite of Spring.
I was impressed by the level of performance of both the Columbus Symphony and Ballet Met.
The acoustics in the hall were wonderful. Having the full orchestra on stage for a ballet performance was a little odd, but the lighting and the energy of the dance company minimized the distraction.
The choreography for the DeBussy number and for the Rite of Spring was excellent. The costumes for the Ravel piece were wonderful but the choreography was a snooze. The title, Spanish Dances, and the flamenco rhythms of the piece cried out for some hot flamenco movement, but instead it was all languid.
I am not a fan of strict historicist celebration, but it might have been appropriate for the 100th anniversary of Nijinsky's ballet to incorporate costumes that evoked the spirit of the original--Slavic folklore transformed by the machine age.
Nevertheless, it was a marvelous undertaking and a landmark for the arts community in Columbus.
I will attend future concerts!

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Mar 24, 2013 @

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Review 9 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

The Rite of Spring: A Brilliant Collaboration

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Mar 23, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Kerri Riccardi provides pure fun: being literally man-handled through a section she escapes on bewildered, tipsy, but fabulously controlled pointe. @

Posted 03/25/2013

by Anonymous

Location:Columbus, OH

The highlight of this program was, without a doubt, the presentation of The Rite of Spring by the Columbus Symphony and BalletMet, sharing a very full stage.

The first two pieces of the program had strengths and weaknesses. Afternoon of a Faun (composer Debussy, choreographer Amedeo Amodio) was beautifully played by the orchestra but suffered somewhat in the Saturday show from a lack of charisma on the part of the two dancers; however, I heard reliable reports that the Friday night/Sunday matinee casing of Estevez and Benz was very strong. Ward is a beautiful, athletic dancer, but he sometimes has trouble bringing emotion to his roles. As the faun he had strength and grace, but lacked the essential predatory fire needed for the part. Lee was competent but forgettable. Nevertheless, the collaboration of live orchestra and dancers was enjoyable.

Rapsodie Espagnole (composer Ravel, choreographer Jimmy Orrante) again brought us fine music from the orchestra, but unfortunately the choice of black costumes for the dancers caused most of the choreography to be lost against the backdrop of the formally attired musicians. Luxuriously full Spanish dresses on the women, and intricate jackets on the men (designed by in-house Costume Designer Shujie Hu) were beautiful, but unequal to the task of giving the dancers the setting they needed to showcase their hard-won skills. Despite the title of the work, this Ravel piece is actually quite difficult to choreograph successfully. It is mostly rather slow for dance, and the short bursts of intense music and movement are few and far between. Orrante is developing into a fine choreographer, and his work can be playful, scintillating, and smart. This music didn't give him a chance, or he missed what chance he had, to really engage us.

Intermission brought a delightful highlight: a special ice cream designed by Jeni's specifically for this event. Jeni's recipe experts harked back to Paris of 1913, venue for the first infamous performance of The Rite of Spring, and put together an Absinthe and Meringue concoction that was memorable. A very strong licorice flavor was balanced with an undertone of green matcha tea, and bursts of incorporated meringue paillettes. The long wait in line was worth it.

The Columbus Symphony did Stravinsky proud with a strong performance of The Rite of Spring, with a particularly enjoyable, confident tympany section. The orchestra, as conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni, did an excellent job of responding to the dancers as well, creating a real sense of on-stage synergy. The essential dissonance of the piece was embraced with skill and, it seemed to me, affection. The musicians convinced us thoroughly that they loved and were enthusiastic about the sound they were producing and the audience responded in kind.

James Kudelka choreographed the BalletMet ensemble. Many choreographers since the original (the celebrated Vaslav Nijinsky) have presented their interpretation of the narrative of pagan rite. Kudelka's vision was contemporary and exquisitely sensitive to the music itself, with modern references to the rite. His movement captured the essence of the composition, with dancers crowding and pushing against each other, representing the clash of sounds Stravinsky tamed. Seemingly amorphous groupings were actually highly organized to produce a movement evocative of passion and dissonance. It was visually stunning and viscerally satisfying. The best view for the piece, lucky for me, was from the heights in the back: the patterns of the dance could be understood and appreciated, and the music well-mixed but not overwhelming. Moments of forceful tympany, combined with brilliant stomp choreography created a powerful aural and physical experience. Kudelka and the BalletMet dancers were able to bring a coherent, gorgeous vision to Stravinsky's sounds that made me, at least, understand his music in an almost "ah-ha!" moment. Having grown up in the original Disney 'Fantasia" era, I thought I knew the piece all too well. Kudelka brought me to an entirely higher understanding.

The Ohio Theatre audience was full, thoroughly appreciative, and seemed delighted to be able to fully embrace this music that was so reviled at its premiere, becoming the third collaborator in this ambitious, superior production.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Mar 23, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Kerri Riccardi provides pure fun: being literally man-handled through a section she escapes on bewildered, tipsy, but fabulously controlled pointe. @

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Review 10 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

Posted 03/25/2013

by Anonymous

Location:College Station, TX

The orchestra was overwhelming. The ballet performance was good but I was more spellbound with the symphony

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

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Review 11 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

1 / 5

Awful and disappointing

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Mar 23, 2013 @

Favorite moment: None @

Posted 03/25/2013

by Drnancyh

Location:Pickerington

If this is modern ballet then I will only go to classical.
This was inappropriate for children and teens .

Music was ok. But the dancing took away any musical enjoyment.
I don't consider stomping your feet, rolling on the floor in your underwear dancing.
I wish that I had stayed home !

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Mar 23, 2013 @

Favorite moment: None @

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Review 12 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

The Rite of Spring was phenomenal!

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

Favorite moment: The opening dance....so beautifully fluid, sensual and innocent. @

Posted 03/25/2013

by Pranky

Could it have been any better??? NO! The pairing of our beloved Balletmet & CSO was brilliant. What a complete pleasure and nurturing of the senses....I am so grateful for these consistently tremendous arts organizations.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

Favorite moment: The opening dance....so beautifully fluid, sensual and innocent. @

0 of 1 found this review helpful.

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Review 13 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

2 / 5

So-So

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

Posted 03/24/2013

by Columbusbabe

Location:Delaware, Ohio

I attended Dracula, Nutcracker and Romeo & Juliet, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed, however, this one nearly put me to sleep. No scenery, music very slow, hard to understand storyline, although I do understand "the rite of spring". Not sure I am into this "modern" a ballet, if it had been advertised as modern contemporary dance fine, but to me it's not that much ballet.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

1 of 1 found this review helpful.

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Review 14 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

Posted 03/24/2013

by Mrachka

Quality of orhestra's playing:excellent, conductor:excellent. Ballet Met, the best!!!!! It made the music even more special.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

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Review 15 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Spectacular

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

Posted 03/24/2013

by davscott62

Location:Hilliard, OH

The Rite of Spring and other ballet pieces performed by the Columbus Symphony and the Ballet Met of Columbus, was Spectacular. The music was perfect and the ballet performers outstanding. High lights were" Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" and of course "The Rite of Spring". One of the best performances we have attended.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Fri, Mar 22, 2013 @

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Review 16 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Beethoven & Mendelssohn was Spectacular

Southern Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Mar 2, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Beethoven, very amazing, 10 stars. @

Posted 03/04/2013

by firsttimer19

Location:central OHIO

This was our 1st amazing professional Orchestra Performance. I bought tickets for my wife on our 27th wedding Anniversary. I was going to go and make her happy. My eyes and ears were glued from start to the end. I'm a sports fan. This was better and more existing than a baseball game. They all played like pro's. Thanks for a great night.

Southern Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Mar 2, 2013 @

Favorite moment: Beethoven, very amazing, 10 stars. @

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Review 17 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

1 / 5

They did not try very hard

Capitol Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Feb 24, 2013 @

Posted 02/28/2013

by nspre

Location:Columbus

I was very disappointed. I expected to learn about the instruments, or something about music, some discussion that would cause one to listen more closely. But instead the conductor read a book at one time saying he was sorry we could not see the pictures in the book, why not have on video screen. Why not have on video screen a close up of a musician playing an instrument you just learned about. I don't think much effort was put into this program

Capitol Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Feb 24, 2013 @

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Review 18 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

Capitol Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Feb 24, 2013 @

Posted 02/26/2013

by Anonymous

My 6 year old son and I enjoyed the show immensely!
It was so much fun! I wish they did more kids concerts like this one. Thank you so much, Columbus Symphony!!

Capitol Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Feb 24, 2013 @

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Review 19 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

5 / 5

symphony fun for all!

Capitol Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Feb 24, 2013 @

Favorite moment: When the conductor told a story about his dog "boom-boom" and shook his rump while he talked about her--even the symphony members giggled. @

Posted 02/26/2013

by columbusfam

Amazing show revolving around the wonderful book "Giraffes Can't Dance." The pre-performance activities were excellent: my 3.5 year old son loved the conducting lessons, trying the harp, listening to the trombonist play and trying the musical instruments brought by the music shops. The performance was excellent, with lovely music arranged for short attention spans, a variety of genres and several interactive (singing & dancing) pieces. We had a wonderful time.

Capitol Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sun, Feb 24, 2013 @

Favorite moment: When the conductor told a story about his dog "boom-boom" and shook his rump while he talked about her--even the symphony members giggled. @

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Review 20 for Columbus Symphony Orchestra

4 / 5

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Feb 23, 2013 @

Posted 02/25/2013

by Anonymous

Amazing. Beautiful and powerful. Moving. Song of the Earth was an emotional ride that brought you home in a gentle manner.

Ohio Theatre @

- Columbus @

, OH @

- Sat, Feb 23, 2013 @

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