Message for the KCOHO

From John Fiore

I had the immense pleasure of working with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra in February and March 2020 during the preparation and subsequent performances of Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila. Not only are they a very nice group of people who are delightful to work with, but they really deliver at a very high level, and the performances that I did with them were among the highlights of my career. Even though an opera orchestra is often referred to as an “invisible orchestra,” they are an integral part of the operatic experience, and in a piece like Samson, which has large orchestral interludes and dances, the orchestra can really shine. And shine they did! In fact, one of my friends was so taken with their playing of the famous Bacchanale, that they found themselves watching the orchestra almost as much as the stage (they were obviously higher up in the theater). So, this orchestra may be invisible to some (but not all), but the impact that the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra makes on its public is definitely there for all to hear and admire. I very much look forward to working with them again soon, and taking part in live music performances with them, which is so important for us all.

-John Fiore, conductor of Samson et Dalila, 2020