Philharmonic’s ‘Fantastique’ Is a Little Rough Around Edges

A staple of both the winter and summer Los Angeles Philharmonic repertories, Berlioz’s unique “Symphonie Fantastique” comes in differing interpretations. Just as often as its performance is dramatic and compelling, it can emerge chaotic and confused.

The latter incarnation describes all that was achieved by French conductor Emmanuel Villaume, making his Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl debuts Thursday night. Though the reading moved along, its longer line never became clear; the whole lacked definition.

And the playing, apparently under-rehearsed, was unkempt and unpolished in places, a result no doubt of the orchestra’s failure to grasp the conductor’s vision and overall intentions. For all its briskness, this performance seemed tedious.

Villaume, whose constant flailing is his most distinctive visual characteristic, delivered more admirable results in his evening’s opener, also by Berlioz, the Royal Hunt and Storm from “Les Troyens.”

This tight performance was marked by strong and balanced ensemble playing and wonderful soloism from the woodwind and horn principals.

Before intermission, the justifiably acclaimed Louis Lortie was the right soloist for Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Before the summer is over, we will have heard all four piano concertos in this outdoor venue.

The Canadian pianist brilliantly revisited the familiar exigencies of the Rhapsody, crisply jumping its virtuosic hurdles and caressing its lyricism with a full range of colors--as ever, his fingers are articulate, his musical taste exquisite.

But he played, alas, with little help from the disinterested Villaume, who seemed to be paying small attention to his soloist.