While crowds of Wagner supporters flock to Melbourne for the three Ring cycles, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and soloists stole a march on proceedings, with its own curtain-raiser – excelling in a dramatically astounding performance of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. Mezzo Deborah Humble again found herself in the audience, pen in hand, this time drawing Sydney into the Wagner celebrations, with this review for Sounds Like Sydney …
“Take the scenery, costumes and action away from drama designed for the operatic stage and you are simply left with the music itself. Wagner’s epic scores are entirely capable of speaking for themselves, but for a concert performance of Tristan and Isolde to be successful (even when presented as an abridged version), singers and musicians of exceptional ability are required.
“Nina Stemme (soprano), Stuart Skelton (tenor) and Monika Bohinec (mezzo-soprano) together with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra directed by Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Marko Letonja managed to present a world-class evening of music to a sold out auditorium at Hobart’s Federation Hall on Saturday evening.”
