Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg strode on stage, shimmering in silver and black, looking as if she were about to detonate a surprise.

Wow, did she ever.

Salerno-Sonnenberg’s violin virtuosity with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra Saturday night brought the crowd at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts to its feet. It was not only that her thrilling, volatile performance was jaw-dropping, but that the piece — Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” — was a terrific composition, witty, sly, passionate, moving.

Piazzolla’s “Seasons” is a scrumptious mix of tango influences, Vivaldi and Pachelbel finding fresh expression in mid-20th century compositional adventurousness. The various parts of it were written between 1964 and 1970, originally for smaller instrumentation, but working well with the string orchestral setup here.

The players coaxed sounds from the strings that raised eyebrows — much to Salerno-Sonnenberg’s delight — and ultimately captivated the audience. The orchestra got its groove on throughout and cellist Ruth Valente beautifully performed her solo in the “Autumn” segment.

The weekend’s MasterWorks performance was the first of this season, a special one in that it will be the last season for Maestro David Loebel as conductor. Taking the theme of “David’s Perfect Ten,” Loebel has programmed the year with works that have special meaning to him and to the orchestra.

The evening’s other works varied in interest and quality. The opener, Berlioz’ “Roman Carnival Overture,” was a pleasant enough confection. Following that was Stravinsky’s “Petrouchka,” a dense and demanding piece that the orchestra, while encountering some rough spots, brought to life with vigor and feeling.

The program ended with Ravel’s “Bolero,” one of the pieces the symphony performed at the opening of the Cannon Center in 2003. A kind of danceable guide to the orchestra, it’s always a favorite with its gradual buildup and demand for precision. Maestro David Loebel took a minimalist approach to conducting, quietly keeping the beat until the smashing finale sent home a well-satisfied audience.