WEEKEND REVIEWS / Music : Fischer Leads Stylish Ride

Genuine stylishness in musical performances grows more obsolescent with the passing seasons--conductorial expertise apparently having joined the endangered species list. When stylishness appears, then, as it did on the final program by the touring Budapest Festival Orchestra at Hollywood Bowl, flares should be raised.

Ivan Fischer, co-founder and principal conductor of the ensemble, led this agenda (given Friday and Saturday nights), titled “From Budapest to Vienna,” and offering music by Johann Strauss Jr., Bartok, Lehar, Kodaly, Brahms and Berlioz. In all that he surveyed, Fischer seemed master of this territory.

Despite somewhat less than immaculate performances from the orchestra on Friday, the music-making gave consistent pleasure.

One had forgotten just how wondrous “An der schonen blauen Donau” (“On the Beautiful Blue Danube”) can be, when taken at tempos that breathe as well as sweep. There were also myriad joys in four of Strauss Jr.’s treasurable polkas--”Eljen a Magyar,” “Vergnugungszug,” “Im Krapfenwaldl” (with all the birdcalls) and “Unter Donner und Blitz”--all of which were appreciated loudly by 14,227 Bowl-goers on Friday--the crowd on Saturday was counted at capacity: 17,797.

One had not forgotten the deep charms of both the “Fledermaus” Overture and Berlioz’s Hungarian March from “La Damnation de Faust.” Fischer brought fresh life to them, and the Bowl Fireworks Department lit up the skies colorfully during the latter, to enthusiastic cheering.

The appearance of American soprano June Anderson was disappointing only in that she offered merely five items total.

But these she sang handsomely, though warming up completely only by the final “Vilja-Lied” from “Die lustige Witwe.” Otherwise, these were pleasant, usually effortless run-throughs of excerpts from “Der Zarewitsch,” “Zigeunerliebe” and “Paganini,” plus the “Fledermaus” Czardas. In all of them, Fischer & Co. proved sensitive and intrepid collaborators.