Blog review of Golden Flute

The two greatest inhibiting factors a cultural critic has to deal with are expectation and exaltation. The first only brings an easy review to fruition when it is failed, and the second is difficult to write without seeming unnecessarily extravagant with language. The truth is, I have a certain bias towards the Australian Chamber Orchestra, but it is not what you think. I don’t have any real personal connection to its members, nor to its repertoire. I am not a long lost cousin of Richard Tognetti and his limbic elasticity. In its entirety, my bias has been conceived by a personal reputation they have built with me by simply being stunning to watch and listen to. But there we find the problem. Expectation and Exaltation, in equal doses, waiting in the wings as it were. Common sense says to avoid both, but the nature of quality performance wills me to include them and so I must.

As I entered the Sydney Opera House, I had a thought which often struck me in the historical venue. It is hard not to expect something majestic in such a large, inviting space. Honestly, I have seen some average performances in the space, and some marvellous ones, but this history seems to elude me as I take in the space. Yes, something majestic must occur. But this again, is expectation. The reality of the situation causes me to believe that the Chamber Orchestra is better served by the Angel Place Recital Hall (where all Sydney dates, bar this one, were performed.) The Opera House, being as well known as it is, draws an ambling crowd who appear to cough, converse and drop heavy objects throughout concerts. In such a large space, with minimal application, a Chamber Orchestra would naturally find it hard to compete (without of course sacrificing the dynamic delight they have become so familiar with expressing.) Fortunately, Tognetti (a man far beyond ‘leader’ - his achilles outstretched like the beginnings of flight) has the capacity to draw focus, flaunting great musical prowess with his ensemble; the Australian Chamber Orchestra performs like a slowly swelling wave, swaying wistfully as if connected by an invisible line, leaving pretension behind for pure performance... Read more.