Fairytale and nightmare; extremes of musical inspiration, and betwixt them in a sky-blue dress, Alina Ibragimova performing Saint-Saens’ Violin Concerto No3. Symphonic in outlook, there is a depth to this work that Ibragimova conveyed with considerable intensity, powerfully supported by the BSO under Yan Pasacal Tortelier.

A sweetly-toned central movement with pristine harmonics playing to Kevin Banks’ clarinet and a finale of memorable melody, beauty of line, elfin tone and dancing virtuosity combined to win full applause, encored with feminine grace in the Preludio from Bach’s Partita No3.

As the season nears completion there’s usually something spectacular-and this was it-the orchestral performance of the year! Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique left Tortelier deliriously happy at the BSO’s fabulous playing, and the rest of us awe-struck.

Smitten by actress Harriet Smithson, this work was the ultimate lure to love. Its programme, an Episode in the Life of an Artist, founded upon Berlioz’ vivid imagination that included a whirling waltz with Tortelier’s joyous sense of rhythmic poise, an atmospheric scene between (I suspect) a shepherd (cor anglais, Rebecca Kozam) and off-stage shepherdess (oboe, Peter Rendle), a drug-derived March to the Scaffold and the nightmare Witches Sabbath, a tour-de-force with every bar cogently illuminated.

Rimsky-Korsakov’s colourful May Night Overture made a pleasant and apposite prelude.