Marked as one of the definitive anchor classical events of the 2026 Edinburgh International Festival, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s appearance at Usher Hall was an evening of striking contrasts. Conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra presented Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 alongside Gabriela Ortiz’s Revolución diamantina, a work inspired by Mexico City’s 2019 Glitter Revolution and its protests against violence towards women.
The 1 hour 45 minute concert, with one interval, was the first of three appearances by the LA Philharmonic at this year’s Festival. It also carried a particular sense of occasion. Dudamel, who has led the orchestra for seventeen years, is coming to the end of his remarkable tenure before taking up his new role with the New York Philharmonic. His long-standing relationship with the LA Phil gave the performance an emotional significance beyond the music itself.
Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony opened the programme. The orchestra produced an impressively polished and controlled sound, although the performance took some time to find its full energy. The opening movements felt elegant and measured rather than revolutionary. There was a precision and refinement to the playing, but at times it lacked the urgency and fire one might expect from Beethoven’s famously rhythmic Seventh.
After the interval came the Scottish premiere of Gabriela Ortiz’s Revolución diamantina. This was where the evening was transformed. Written as a six-movement ballet score, the work combines political protest with the rhythms, colours and sounds of contemporary Mexico. Five nests of percussion and eight amplified female singers from the Los Angeles Master Chorale created an extraordinary sonic landscape.
The result was immersive, vibrant and at times overwhelming. Percussion drove the music forward while the amplified voices added an almost primal quality. The music could be reflective and soulful one moment, then erupt into furious rhythmic energy the next. The singers eventually delivered feminist slogans, directly connecting the music to the protest movement that inspired it.
Dudamel appeared particularly at home in Ortiz’s colourful and rhythmically charged score. The LA Philharmonic played with extraordinary commitment, precision and energy. If Beethoven’s Seventh felt polished but occasionally restrained, Ortiz’s Revolución diamantina was anything but restrained.
It was in the final movement that Dudamel and the orchestra truly came alive. The music surged forward with greater force and excitement, providing the thrilling conclusion that the earlier movements had only hinted at. The finale had the strongest expression.
The pairing ultimately worked as a fascinating conversation between Beethoven’s revolutionary rhythmic language and Ortiz’s contemporary musical protest. It was a memorable Festival debut for the LA Philharmonic, and an emotionally resonant farewell appearance for Dudamel and an orchestra whose partnership has defined a remarkable seventeen years.
Reviewer: Saira Kunjuvalappil (Saira Ks)
Reviewed: 14th August 2026
North West End UK Rating: