Dear AYO Friends,
Capping week five, the magical setting of the Ravello stage, built out a hundred feet or more over the Mediterranean Sea, perhaps a thousand feet or more straight down! Again a sellout crowd listening in rapt silence to soloist Vadim Repin’s Bruch G minor Violin Concerto and Mahler's First Symphony, a jarring foot-stamping rumble from the audience acknowledging their approval, with quick glances of worry that such enthusiasm could trigger a seismic event.
Ravello
From Ravello Italy to Lucerne Switzerland and the Lucerne Festival, surely one of the world’s most prestigious festivals, AYO’s performance under Matthias Bamert, surely an historic event, rewarded with a spontaneous standing ovation.
Lucerne Festival
Flying in from Hong Kong for the performance were Hong Kong concert regulars Felix and Nina Bieger, Felix later writing: “The very best Mahler No. 1 we have ever heard. Your AYO did wonders for you and for us all.”
Local concertgoer Florian Spichtig sent this note to our Facebook page: "Thank you AYO for your great performance last night at the Lucerne Festival. I have heard many great concerts in the KKL Lucerne but yours is one of the very best with an amazing interpretation of Mahler's 1st and fantastic solo performances, great orchestral sound, spirit and energy. Looking forward to see and hear you again.”
The reviewer for the Daily Telegraph wrote that “It was in the nerve jangling final movement – what Mahler called ‘the cry of a wounded heart' – that the orchestra, conducted by Matthias Bamert, broke free . . . . approaching something close to lyricism in the very beautiful closing moments.”
From Lucerne to the Merano Festival and yet another sellout house, and an offer of a return engagement whenever we're back in Europe.
Berlin
Finally Berlin for the Young Euro Classics Festival, where AYO performed in the exquisite Konzerthaus for another sellout engagement with support from the Berlin Economic and Trade Office and our own Chairman Jim Thompson. What a fantastic concert under James Judd’s direction, and what a perfect way to say goodbye to Maestro Judd. A truly emotional evening.
Only two more concert left — Prague and Brussels!
Sincerely
Keith
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