Schubert, Mozart Get Their Due : Music review: Donath brings out the best in composers and musicians in OCPAC program.

Vigor became the ideal when Klaus Donath returned to the podium of the Pacific Symphony, Wednesday night at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. This time, the German conductor focused his attention on Schubert as well as Mozart--in the past six seasons, he has led three Mozart operas at the center and a Mozart program at Irvine Meadows--and the results were bracing.

Indeed, the words “exhilarating,” “lighthearted” and “transparent” don’t usually fit Schubert’s one-hour “Great” C-major Symphony, a work often considered monumental and portentous. But Donath’s reading seemed to bring out the best, not only in Schubert, but in the members of the Pacific Symphony too.

Here was an illuminating performance, handsomely poised, superbly balanced--and breathless. When Donath leads an andante, the listener might consider putting on running shoes.

Still, the deep content, the spiritual elements, the irresistible lyricism one associates with this composer all emerged in these fastish readings, as well as rewarding self-listening and well-intoned execution from the players. For those in the audience who thought they knew the “Great” C-major Symphony, revelations unfolded in every movement.

The other half of the tightly paced program offered Mozart: the overture-like Symphony No. 23, and two concert arias, the soloist being Helen Donath, the distinguished American soprano who has been married to conductor-pianist Donath for more than 30 years.

A resident of Germany since the early 1960s, the singer from Texas seems to wear her veteran’s cap lightly. In both her virtuoso assignments, “Bella mia fiamma, addio,” K. 528, and “Ch’io mi scordi di te?,” K. 505, she produced alluring tone, technically consistent vocalism and dramatic points. She continues to sing handsomely and evenly throughout a broad range, and to make gorgeous sounds.

Soprano Donath excelled particularly in the musical byways of the episodic K. 505, wherein she held together disconnected thoughts commandingly.

Here, conductor Donath led from the piano, where he played the complicated obbligato parts stylishly. The orchestra--especially the woodwinds, and in particular, oboist Barbara Northcutt in the D-major Symphony--seemed to shine throughout.