In the second of three programs to celebrate the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s return to the refurbished Hamer Hall, conductor Markus Stenz chose a mixture of the familiar and the ambitious. The familiar was Beethoven’s Symphony No.6 (Pastoral), the ambitious a concert performance of the First Act of Wagner’s opera Die Walküre. The MSO first performed the Beethoven in 1942, and most recently included it in last year’s Beethoven Festival – with many performances between those dates. However, the MSO’s first complete concert performance of the Wagner was in August 1981 (conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras), with a concert in 2004 conducted by Oleg Caetani featuring Act 1, as on tonight’s program. So one could hardly argue that the work is part of the orchestra’s standard repertoire; furthermore, the soloists are far more to the fore than in last week’s Third Symphony of Mahler. Beethoven Pastoral Symphony is often naturally compared with the epic Fifth that precedes it, but like that work (and the Ninth) it has its own distinctiveness, and joins them only in being one of the three best-known of the master’s symphonies. Markus Stenz, no stranger to dramatic impact, nevertheless revealed the gentler, more bucolic Beethoven of the Pastoral Symphony, respecting the composer’s description of the first movement: ‘Awakenings of happy feelings on arrival in the country’. Hamer Hall’s refreshed acoustics lent themselves to contrasts between the somewhat subdued dynamics and the swelling of sound, as well as appreciation of individual instruments (Prudence Davis’s flute being one of the first to be noticed). The second movement (‘Scene by the brook’) had the lower strings providing accompaniment for the violins and violas as they articulated the melody, then taking over that melody and giving it more depth as the rest of the orchestra flirted with bird calls and other evocations of the countryside. ‘Peasants’ merrymaking’ in the next movement was the loudest and most energetic thus far, drawing on folk music and enhanced by a greater, if subtle, brass presence. Thanks partly to the acoustics, the crescendo was very effective as the storm approached and broke, to occupy the fourth movement of the symphony. ‘Shepherd’s song: thanksgiving after the storm’ rounded off the work as Stenz drew section after section into the almost waltz-like refrain. It allowed both an appreciation of the full impact of the tutti sections and the contribution of individual sections and players – Stenz had many to draw forward for well-deserved applause at the end. After interval came an epic work: the First Act of Wagner’s opera Die Walkure. Few conductors would be brave enough to present this as part of a regular season, moving as it does straight into the territory of grand opera. And this in the year leading up to Wagner’s centenary, when Wagner societies and aficionados worldwide are on the alert for performances to assess and compare! Happily, this performance could proudly pass muster with the sharpest of critics, if the response of the Melbourne audience was anything to go by. Plus there was the evidence of one’s own ears: Stenz, the soloists and the MSO delivered an intensity of sound that was all-encompassing, rare and powerful. Of course, attention is focussed on the soloists: on this occasion, soprano Meagan Miller as Sieglinde, bass-baritone Daniel Sumegi as her chauvinist spouse Hunding and tenor Stuart Skelton as the traveller seeking refuge – and carrying an explosive secret. Sumegi was on stage the least but his rich, deep voice made an impact, even in his shortest outbursts. Miller provided a strong but gentle contrast as she welcomed the stranger into her home, and was increasingly drawn to his story. But Skelton’s performance was simply a tour-de-force. His was by far the more taxing role but he sang with consistency and a power that is more usual in basses than tenors. It’s difficult to convey the extent of this achievement but everyone in the concert hall was aware of it – and the applause was sustained. The ‘danger’ with such a performance is that the contribution of the orchestra can be forgotten, or taken for granted – but it should not have been. At least the MSO was on stage, instead of hidden in an orchestra pit. So the audience could appreciate the beautiful cello interlude and see the strings bowing furiously, the brass contributing mightily – partly thanks to the impressive Wagner tubas that were making their MSO debut – and others combining to round off that distinctive Wagnerian sound. After such a performance one can only look forward to next week’s Act Three, with its ‘mystery’ program. One thing the audience can be sure of: Stenz and the MSO have never sounded better. And I don’t think that’s just a matter of acoustics! Rating: 5 stars out of 5 A Spectacular Return Act 2 – Beethoven and Wagner Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Markus Stenz – conductor Stuart Skelton Siegmund (tenor) Meagan Miller Sieglinde (soprano) Daniel Sumegi Hunding (bass-baritone) Beethoven Symphony No.6 Pastoral Wagner Die Walküre: Act I Hamer Hall, Southbank August 16 & 18