“In the decade since he made his debut with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, conductor Stéphane Denève has gone from strength to strength, adding to his interpretive abilities and building understandings with the players that deepen the effects of their joint music-making. (…) the music he makes with the SLSO is consistently riveting.
(…) Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 is a well-known quantity, but, in the right hands, a riveting one. (…) Denève and Vogt connected well with each other and with the orchestra. The tempos were spot on throughout, making for a satisfying reading.
(…) Strauss’ “Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life)” made for a full stage in the second half, (…) Strauss is a master of orchestral colors, and that makes for a formidable, complex score; Denève brought it all together, from the tone poem’s quiet, lyrical moments to the big thrilling sections near the end. “