Karen Gomyo – photo courtesy Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
There’s something luxurious about attending a recital on a weekend afternoon. The treat of an early lunch, the excitement of ice cream (or, these days, a glass of fizz…) at interval, and leaving the theatre while it’s still light outside. Such was the joy of attending a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra matinee performance at Hamer Hall on Saturday to hear violin soloist, Japanese-Canadian Karen Gomyo. She wielded her magical powers in a rendition of Saint-Saëns’ eloquent Third Violin Concerto and created the most beautiful tones on a violin older than modern Australia itself — a Stradivarius of 1703. Ms Gomyo wowed the audience in a regal purple Grecian gown with a heartfelt and dramatic performance.
The second half was a rendition of a very famous piece in classical music history: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Expertly conducted by one of the world’s most sought-after composers, Matthias Pintscherwhich, the piece is at times dramatic and flamboyant; at others, quiet and restrained. The combination of the top-notch acoustics of Hamer Hall and the effortless performance of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conveyed the depth of the piece. Listeners can expect to find themselves in a near hypnotic trance and ready to float out of the door into the rest of the weekend.
– Jane
Jane Pendry is borderline obsessive about good food. Originally Scottish, she lived in London before leaving her job as a lawyer to pursue her passions for food, travel and writing. She can usually be found scouring Melbourne for top new eateries or sipping a long black while writing about career change and her own foodie adventures on her blog www.thelunchboxdiary.com. Follow Jane @lunch_box_diary.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 & Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3 runs 23 May and 25 May at The Arts Centre. To find out about more and book tickets, visit the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra website. The venue is accessible.
