More than 1,000 people including Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. and County Executive Doug Duncan attended an invitation-only opening night gala Feb. 5 for the Music Center at Strathmore. The $100 million concert hall will be the second home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. It was originally concieved more than 10 years ago and was built under the leadership of then-Governors William Donald Schaefer and Parris Glendening.
The opening night concert Saturday followed a civic dedication Wednesday and included a cocktail hour, a full concert program, and a dessert reception. The BSO, under director Yuri Temirkanov, played nine orchestral pieces, including arrangements with sopranos Harolyn Blackwell and Janice Chandler-Eteme and three works with celloist Yo-Yo Ma.
The last of those featured four Maryland student celloists who were chosen from dozens of the state's best in auditions late last year. Three Potomac students audtioned and one — Thomas Wootton High School senior Eugene Shue — was picked as an alternate. He was seated in the front row Saturday.
"We're all thrilled. The musicians are thrilled, Yuri is thrilled. It really couln't have gone better," said Christy Crytzer of the BSO at Strathmore. "It was a really good vibe from everyone, really good feedback from everyone involved. So we're glowing."