Canberra International Music Festival Finale concert review

A mammoth three-act program celebrated the finale of the 23rd Canberra International Music Festival. The Simon Bolivar String Quartet, who were in residence for the entirety of this year's festival, began the concert with Beethoven's String Quartet op. 59 no. 2 in E minor. It was a passionate, romantic performance with well-balanced voice leading between parts, particularly in the expressive second movement, in warm contrast to the quartet's gusto in the more frenetic first and fourth movements.

After the first interval, the audience enjoyed the world premiere of Hing-yan Chan's Double Happiness. Requested and conducted by festival artistic director Roland Peelman, whom we were told had long been asking for a suite inspired by Asiatic food, it was an excellent cross-cultural synthesis of Australia and Asia. Indeed that was especially evident in the work's orchestration, strongly featuring the sheng, a Chinese mouth organ, performed brilliantly by Loo Sze-wang. Driven by humorous narration by William Yang and text by librettist Su-yin Mak, the festival artists gave a rousing performance under Peelman's energetic direction. Bass-baritone Jeremy Kleeman was especially notable for his crystal-clear articulation and expression. The sprightly first movement, Whole Roast Suckling Pig, was a captivating opening; other highlights included movement seven, Deep-friend Crispy Chicken, which seemed to mock the Hens and Roosters of Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals.

A massed performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition arranged by Julian Yu and again conducted by Peelman was a fitting finale. Further Asiatic influences were noticeable here too, as traditional Chinese folk pentatonic melodies wove their way through Mussorgsky's original. For devoted music audiences, Ravel's famous orchestration of this work is difficult to top, yet Yu's musical decisions were a suitable complement to Chan's Double Happiness. Multiple strong viola solos by Florian Peelman were well-matched by excellent musicality from local artists, including cellist David Pereira, harpist Meriel Owen and percussionist Veronica Bailey, whose attention to detail in the suite's faster movements was highly impressive. These respected performers performed in brilliant combination with young Canberra and interstate musicians, who rose superbly to a challenging work performing with some of the best Australian and international musicians.

Peelman's precise timing and dynamic control created a captivating atmosphere throughout. An immediate standing ovation and two additional curtain calls celebrated a spectacular performance. This concert was an exuberant triumph to Peelman's artistic direction and a grand celebration of one of Canberra's annual highlights.