When I did the Chick Corea tuning, the stage manager was so pleased that in addition to the usual compensation, he offered me two tickets to any show during the rest of the season. I chose the Russian National Orchestra, because they were playing Scheherezade, one of Jennifer's favorites.
When we got to the theater on the night of the concert, we discovered to our delight that we were sitting in the boxes at the side of the balcony. We had never sat in a box at a concert. You can put your chair wherever you like; you have infinite room for your legs; no one's head is in your way.
When I saw the Cleveland Orchestra, I was amazed by their ensemble. It was as if they had one brain. The RNO had fine ensemble, but they also set off plenty of individual sparks. They were a team of superstars.
The concertmaster was a woman looking to be in her early 20s, totally lovely, and a genius on her instrument. She tore up the solos in Scheherezade, all the time keeping perfect posture. She never once touched her back to the back of the chair.
They also played some ballet pieces by Shostakovich which were light, fast, and funny.