(L-R) John Psathas, Warren Maxwell, Marc Taddei, Jonathan Lemalu
“This was a spacious, stentorian performance, opening with huge dramatic chords, nothing like the relatively polite chords one can hear on some recordings; and later, Taddei created great, suspenseful pauses between arresting scene changes…
Though Taddei held tempi under effective tension throughout, all that changed in the last stretta bars in which the orchestra hurled themselves, chocks away, into the peroration that proclaimed Florestan’s rescue.
The orchestra’s adventurous programme was entirely vindicated.”
“Apart from his considerable conducting ability, the reason for Marc Taddei’s success against the odds with Orchestra Wellington are his innovative, highly individual programmes. Take this concert. Who else would put two such different singers, singing in such wildly different musical genres, into one programme, and who else could bring it off so brilliantly?…”
“I think Marc Taddei is a man of the theatre and this was a very theatrical performance…”
“I hope a recording of this is released – specifically this show. It was wonderful. And feels like time-capsule stuff for New Zealand music….”
“Gershwin’s An American in Paris, here thrillingly given what I can only describe as the “full” treatment by Marc Taddei and his players. From the start, the energies of the piece came at us in great and colourful waves, with brash auto-horns and whipped-up tempi at the climaxes. Played with such sharply-focused detailing the quieter interludes, when they came, made an enormous impact of withdrawal…”