Who knew the word “transvestite” would be uttered aloud in the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall to such ringing laughter from a raucous movie house audience.  The Landmark and the Charles Theater have nothing on the BSO showing of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

I’m converted — all movies should be performed with live string orchestra at the very least.  The BSO string section gave Bernard Herrmann’s score a devastating subtlety that I’d have been hard pressed to know was there, no matter how good the subwoofers or well-placed the speakers.  Nothing adds a little extra tension more than a skilled conductor.  Hats off to Constantine Kitsopoulos who’s got a lot of operatic and Baz Luhrmann credits to his name.

As the grey horizontal lines glide and drop on the screen in the opening credits, the symphony starts up and you settle deep in your seat for a wild ride.  The strings spanning the stage under the picture show add extra dimensionality to the cinematic illusion.  The copper tailing Marion Crane’s car appears even closer in her rearview mirror.  The players dance fierce on the bridge, bows flash golden in the tiny lights over their stands.  And they succeed again and again in tweaking that unforgettable slicing theme with a touch of nuance…climaxing well with the screaming shower scene.  (Interesting note: that famous musical moment almost never happened.  Hitchcock had scripted the kill without sound, but Hermann prevailed and got the unheard of: his salary for the picture doubled.) The visceral spatial terror mounts better when spanned between violins and the weighty cellos and basses.  I think even principal cellist Ilya Finkelsteyn had a little fun, laughing as he turned a page.

Definitely a night to remember.  I brought my friend down on the Bolt bus from NYC expressly for the purpose.  A Hitchcock fan self-proclaimed, she walked out of the hall very giddy indeed.

Chances are you boys and girls will say you’re too big to hit up the July 17 “Magical Music of Disney.”  But any secret closet lovers of Little Mermaid, Marry Poppins, Aladdin, Mulan and Rescuers Down Under may be pleased.  If you’ve never heard the BSO do Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, July 24 is your chance.  Mezzo-Soprano Kelley O’Connor returns to the BSO.

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