This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Utah Symphony music director Thierry Fischer continued to be the big news on Utah's classical-music scene this year, but other organizations offered performances to remember as well.

Fischer fever

The Utah Symphony is still crazy about new music director Thierry Fischer, whom it hired in September 2009. The Swiss conductor whipped together an intriguing debut season in four months; prior commitments limit his time here to five weeks this season, but in subsequent years he'll be on board for at least 12 weeks. Electrifying performances of Shostakovich and Stravinsky backed up the hype, while his passionate vision for the orchestra's potential sounds convincing. "I still see him as a rising star," principal trombonist Larry Zalkind said of the new boss. "There are some great things about how he makes music that are going to be recognized."

"Carmen" electric

Utah Opera's vibrant January production of Bizet's beloved "Carmen" was a welcome respite from the dreary gray of a Salt Lake City winter. Fiercely committed performances by mezzo Leann Sandel-Pantaleo, in the title role, and tenor Chad Shelton, as the tragically disintegrating Don José, elevated this already-top-notch production. Across town, the University of Utah's Lyric Opera Ensemble shone with a bold production of Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites" in April.

Turnover at the U.

Brady Allred startled the local music community in October when he abruptly resigned as director of choral activities at the University of Utah's school of music. Utah Chamber Artists artistic director Barlow Bradford, whose résumé includes a stint directing orchestras at the U., has stepped in on a temporary basis; the U. will launch a national search in March. Allred, meanwhile, is keeping busy with his increasingly ambitious leadership of Salt Lake Choral Artists.

Volcano 2, Utah Symphony 0

This had to be a first: Guest conductor Garry Walker and percussionist Colin Currie were unable to make their scheduled date with the Utah Symphony in April when ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano grounded their trans-Atlantic flights. Conductor Michael Stern stepped in with a clever Shakespeare-themed program spotlighting the orchestra.

Rolling along

Utah's other arts institutions continued rolling along: The Madeleine Festival had a strong year, highlighted by Gary Sorenson's emotionally potent performance in the title role of Mendelssohn's "Elijah" with the Oratorio Society of Utah in May; Russian pianist Lukas Geniusas won first prize in the 15th Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition in June, largely on the strength of his riveting performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3; Utah Festival Opera boasted a solid lineup, headlined by a hilarious production of "The Barber of Seville," in July; and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir released four albums, got inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and ignited a fan frenzy with its Christmas concerts featuring pop sensation David Archuleta.

Catherine Reese Newton, Robert Coleman,Celia R. Baker