When Ohlsson’s gigantic figure strode onto the stage and sat down at the piano, he made it look like a toy. It reminded me of Schroder in the Peanuts cartoons. And sure enough, he played Beethoven.
150 Psalms by 150 composers, collected into twelve themes, and presented in twelve concerts by four a-capella choirs was the vision of Tido Visser, the Managing Director of The Netherlands Chamber Choir, and this concert was number 6 in that series, with the theme of Gratitude.
When a much anticipated, professional production of a familiar and famous musical hits town, there is a buzz in the air, and the eager aficionados turn out in eager droves for the opening night.
Inspirational, superb, magnificent – and simply sublime are words that come to mind on hearing this remarkable choir, live in the Adelaide Town Hall – or possibly anywhere.
The Mahler Chamber Orchestra is that rare beast among the world’s orchestras, a democratic institution. The players themselves founded it, and they choose their conductors. It has musicians from over 20 nations, and assembles for specific tours acoss Europe and the world.
Chamber Landscapes is a long weekend of chamber music held yearly as part of the Adelaide Festival at Ukaria, a cultural centre with an auditorium purpose-built for chamber music, quite possibly the best in the country.
I fell in love with Natalie Clein. Warm, unegotistical yet engaging, she spoke to the audience in the same vein as a simple remark attributed to her in the program, “The music is more important than me.”