I basically hate reviewers. They are either up their elbows in nonsense or if they get it right, it is just by luck... you know...a million monkeys typing.... First of all, who gives a tinker's damn if you had to leave. Second, you keenly observe that a Russian conductor tends to make Russian music sound a bit richer and less austere. Well duhhh. Listen to the Leningrad Orchestra play Bernstein...they get the notes but...
More than anything you missed a performance of the Firebird, which the Philharmonic can play in its sleep and it takes someone doing jumping jacks on stilts at the podium to change it an iota. Essentially, I've made bread 10,000 times and I don't follow the recipe anymore. It is at that precise time when you find out if the conductor is the real deal or just the guy with the stick.