It's more about talking than playing. As in the old journalism axiom, Kapilow showed rather than told the audience why Mozart is so great. Kapilow not only had the orchestra play excerpts to make his points, but he also had the audience sing, clap in rhythm, and otherwise participate in making a determination about why Mozart was Mozart. You could practically see the lightbulbs going on above people's heads. It was the total opposite of passive listening.
Cynicism is understandable.
For musicians, there's no bigger thrill than playing for a knowing crowd. Classical music is not in the dire straits that some orchestra managers make it out to be, but the industry is clearly not able to sustain its current level of activity given the prices of tickets and the number of people willing to pay them. Only about 500 people turned out for Tuesday night's concert, leaving 2,000 empty seats. But the orchestra should not be discouraged. New ventures take time to develop a buzz, and too often in classical music, success is defined by quick returns.