Don Quixote Begins

Our conductor this week has a western face but was raised in Japan and has a Japanese name (I believe he is half-Russian).  His Japanese is so fluent that even those audible pauses between thoughts that aren't words but aren't without meaning, are in Japanese.  It is impressive to hear him speak, and impressive to see him embrace the grotesque in his metaphor and interpretation of the music–something not often done, it seems, in Japanese.  At today's rehearsal of Don Quixote he donned a T-shirt with Picasso's image of Cervante's story.  So many different ways to be a conductor.  Looking forward to the week.