I have a suggestion for any of you planning to attend either of the last two evenings of the Seattle Symphony’s Beethoven & Wine Festival: Arrive early. So many people—most impeccably dressed—showed up for wine, that the Symphony stopped selling wine tasting tickets. Lines for all of the six wine-tasting stations were long.

Because so many people were in line for wine, the music started a little late. It was worth the waiting. Sara Buechner put on a virtuoso and dramatic performance of LVB’s Piano Concerto No. 1, sometimes rising out of her seat to deliver the proper thumping to the keys.

Then the Symphony performed Beethoven’s Seventh—not my personal favorite of Beethoven’s symphonies, but the crowd liked it, delivering a long standing ovation after the performance.