Clearly one of the best in the United States for venue and sound. Both the concert locale (Severance Hall) and the orchestra are exquisite!
We've attended a number of Cleveland Orchestra performances at Severance Hall, the last of which was Mozart Piano Concertos 9 & 21 with Mitsuko Uchida who absolutely rocked a piano like no man's business!
The best way I can describe why the Cleveland Orchestra rates far better than many others is this. Other area orchestras we've witnessed such as Toledo and Pittsburgh know their music well and are technically proficient at performing them. However, the Cleveland Orchestra goes beyond just playing the notes correctly. They bring a refined softness, expression, and depth to the music. And their musical unity is so spot-on that when a section plays a note you don't hear more than a single instrument. Amazing!
This jewel is absolutely one of the only reasons why we come to downtown Cleveland!