Supporting Players Share Center Stage

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From there, they plunged into Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 3 for Piano and Orchestra with an intrepid feel that set the scene for a fearless showing by Lang Lang. It was not only the soloist’s virtuosity that impressed, but even more so, the astonishing ease with which he seemed to dispatch it.

No matter how vigorous or intricate his part, the notes seemed to shoot out of his fingers with fire and force. The orchestra proved a compelling partner in the wide-ranging second movement as well, creating a soft glow around its hushed portions.

Often criticized as an overly emotive performer, Lang Lang’s instinctive theatricality was actually most evident when his hands were off the keys — a clenched hand near the heart, a wrought sway forward before beginning a phrase. But to see him taking in a sublime moment after a tumultuous run didn’t undermine the piece but underlined its poignancy.

The audience responded with a prolonged standing ovation and such ferocious applause that their intensity seemed almost to equal that of the performers.