The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's return tomorrow from its triumphal month-long tour of East Asia marks the beginning of a new era. The Asian tour, capped by last week's stunning performances in Tokyo's Suntory Hall, the Japanese equivalent of Carnegie Hall, established the BSO as a world-class ensemble in the world's biggest market for classical music.
"We have one of the best orchestras in the world and they have just furthered their international reputation," said BSO board member Marsha Jews, who is helping plan the celebration that will greet the orchestra at Baltimore-Washington International Airport tomorrow evening.
The Baltimore Sun's Stephen Wigler described the euphoria of audience and musicians alike after Sunday's performance in Tokyo. "After its third and final concert in Suntory Hall, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra last night received enough flowers from the audience to stock a florist's shop," Mr. Wigler reported. "Tokyo's most discerning audience has clearly taken the BSO and music director David Zinman to its collective heart."
The tour clearly brought out the best in the musicians, who repeatedly outdid themselves despite a grueling travel schedule that one player complained left her colleagues all feeling a little "like mashed potatoes inside" near the end.
By their exertions, however, the musicians have pushed the BSO to a new level of artistic expressiveness and technical polish. That was one of the main goals BSO Executive Director John Gidwitz wanted to accomplish through the tour, and his hopes have been more than fulfilled. "Touring makes the orchestra play better," he said last month just before the BSO embarked for Asia. "When you're playing away from home the pressure is on to be at your best, and that carries over into everything you do afterward."
Among the events awaiting the musicians' return are a rally at BWI, a float in the Thanksgiving Day parade Saturday, an autograph signing in the Gallery at Harborplace and lunch in honor of the orchestra at Stoufer's Harborplace hotel.
On Nov. 28, the BSO returns to Meyerhoff Hall for its annual "Thank You" concert for BSO donors. The program will include many of the highlights of its Asian tour. And the historic Tokyo concert will be broadcast on Maryland Public Television Nov. 25 and 27. Baltimoreans surely will want to tune in when these performances are broadcast to savor a milestone in the musical life of this city.