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Las Vegas is on classical map!

Tonight's guest performance by Hungarian National Philharmonic adds another world-class orchestra to list of those that have graced our city's cultural scene. Led by conductor and music director Zoltán Kocsis, group performed works by Bartók, Mozart, and Dvorák before a full house at UNLV's Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall.

Hungarians must be gifted dancers. The orchestra opened with "Dance Suite" by Béla Bartók, but unless you're really good on your feet, you might want to sit this one out. The tempo changed constantly, and there were many brief pauses followed by sudden changes in rhythm and mood. I could barely keep up! Bartók made great use of many different instruments in this 1923 work. It started in a rather mischievous mood, featuring low bassoon and a brief tuba solo. The sound was sparse at first but soon filled in with violins providing a pretty melody. The trombonists played some rather whimsical glissandos, using their slides to glide up or down from one note to another. Most orchestras tend to feature French horns more, but in Hungarian National Philharmonic, trombones were ever-present, and their rich tones filled hall.

Classical composers are such thieves! I've lost count of how many have ripped off old folk tunes for their works. Okay, I'm kidding - but old songs have long provided inspiration for wonderful orchestral adaptations. The evening's second piece was a suite of five songs from Bartók's "Twenty Hungarian Folksongs". In 1933 composer added orchestral accompaniment to these five and stated, "These are not arrangements, but original compositions even though they made use of old folk melodies." Yeah, tell it to judge, Béla.

What's a folk tune without a singer? Soprano Júlia Hajnóczy lent her clear voice to five songs, entitled 'In Prison', 'An Old Bitter Song', 'Wedding Song I', 'Lament', and 'Wedding Song II'. She sang in Hungarian, of course, and it was too dark to follow words in program, but what struck me was mood of each piece. The sad songs were beautiful and poetic but not at all dark, and happy wedding songs were playful and intimate rather than exuberant and celebratory. The line "I am pretty Jani, aren't I, I am meant just for you" says it all. Perhaps Hungarian peasants were much more even-tempered than we might guess. Had these folk adaptations been written by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, we would have been dancing in aisles one minute and looking for razor blades next. Nobody does manic depression like Russians.

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America's love affair with The Sopranos, The Godfather, Goodfellas, and a host of equally thrilling mobster tales can be satisfied vicariously by spending an evening at "Ba-Da-Bing", interactive dinner musical at Orleans Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The show is a clever marriage between Gustav Mauler's Italian eatery, Sazio's, and Ba-Da-Bing repertoire company of wise guys and slick chicks. The occasion is a surprise birthday party for Mr. Big, Godfather of Las Vegas, and as his guests, audience members get to join one of families. Mike Hughes, general manager, stage manager, and Mr. Big's Bookie, explained that they have been performing for three years. They've been at Sazio's one year and have become so popular that instead of five nights, they are now running seven nights a week.

Certainly, food plays a major role in gangster comedy's success. There is a three-course dinner beginning with a crisp, freshly tossed Caesar salad and homemade bread. Black and white helium balloons and stars float above tables reserved for: Pizza Family, Antipasto Family, Pepperoni Family, and so on. The dialogue may be tongue in cheek but atmosphere is authentic down to spats, big rocks, and pistol packin' mamas. The show's publicist, Bobbie Katz, explains that Ba-Da-Bing is only interactive musical in Las Vegas. It is more intimate than Tony and Tina's wedding. And thanks to Gustav Mauler's cuisine, food is far better than most catered dinners.

Even Lisa, our waitress, was Jersey through and through, her voice, resonating with Sopranos inflections. "Okay, tonight we got Chicken Marsala with garlic mashed potatoes, Meat Lasagna, Grilled Ribeye Steak with Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce, and Salmon with Honey Basil Sauce. There's homemade Tiramisu for dessert so save room. And, everybody gets a glass a champagne to toast Mr. Big, godfather of Las Vegas. Drinks are extra."