MUSIC/ Upbeat: Packed houses

WHO would bet on an audience of 16,000 for an all-Ravel concert featuring both the piano concertos? Nobody had to rearrange them for solo tenor: the feat was brought off last month by the Orchestre Symphonique de Lille, playing at a stadium in the city. Jean-Claude Casadesus conducted, Georges Pludermacher was the pianist, and while Bolero indeed appeared on the programme it was the only obvious pop feature. 'La Fete avec Ravel' will now be broadcast in France next month, and is due to appear on a Harmonia Mundi CD towards the end of the year.