Last night, my wife and I took advantage of our “date night” to enjoy an excellent meal at South Park before spending an evening with the Portland Baroque Orchestra. The concert featured guest director Richard Egarr, the newly appointed director of England’s Academy of Ancient Music. Having such a well-established director/musician is a treat, but the evening was made even more special as it was his first fortepiano performances with Portland Baroque Orchestra, featuring Mozart and Haydn. For those unfamiliar with a Baroque orchestra, the musicians play authentic period instruments, including violins dating over 300 years old, complete with sheep gut strings and bows made from animal hair. The woodwind instruments are sold wood…unlike modern instruments with metal keys, and the French Horns have no keys at all. The group had only a few days to rehearse together with Mr. Egarr, but you wouldn’t know it. The orchestra’s precision was surpassed only by Mr. Egarr’s masterful fortepiano performance and direction. I highly recommend attending Portland Baroque Orchestra performances, if not getting season tickets. We plan on attending Handel’s Messiah: The Complete Oratorio in late December. Regardless of your knowledge or interest in classical music or instruments, the Portland Baroque Orchestra is a magical experience.