Gustavo Dudamel led an electrifying showcase of Latin fervor at The Walt Disney Concert Hall last Saturday, enthralling audiences with a symphonic fusion of tango and ballet. The evening began with the legendary Astor Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires,” as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, accompanied by the violin virtuosity of Leticia Moreno, delivered a rendition that painted vivid portraits of the Argentine seasons. Moreno’s mastery swept through her strings, bringing to life the nuances of Buenos Aires so that one felt transported to a passionate tango in a bustling café on a romantic noche. The audience’s thunderous standing ovation was a testament to Moreno’s spellbinding performance, drawing an admiring smile from Dudamel himself.

But this was just the beginning. Gabriela Ortiz’s ballet music, “Revolución Diamantina,” premiered in its concert form, revealing a rich tapestry of six acts — “The sounds cats make,” “We don’t love each other,” “Borders and Bodies,” “Speaking the unspeakable,” “Pink Glitter,” and “Todas (All).” The composition, eloquently rendered by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and LA Phil, encapsulated various feminist scenarios as explained by Ortiz: “harassment and the lack of security in public spaces, the confusion between the language of romantic love and practices of manipulation and control that all too often can lead to lethal forms of violence against women; solitude and a lack of sense of belonging; the voices of the disappeared; a blind march that makes its appearance on the horizon of a nonsensical place; the intimate terrorism that goes on between couples, as well as its stages and consequences; street protests and their cries for justice; and finally, the aspiration that only by walking together we will be able to find a way out.”

The precision of the amplified voices, percussion, and drums, emanating from the rear of the stage, echoed the anguish, tension, and urgency embedded in these themes. Under Dudamel’s fervent baton, the masterpiece surged forth, igniting another wave of standing ovations and thunderous “Bravos!”

— Rosane Grimberg

For more information on events and concerts at the Disney Concert Hall, please visit www.laphil.com