What an amazing work - and a fantastic performance. My wife Joy couldn't attend and my youngest son, Brendon,14,  wanted to attend.  Brendon, 14, LOVED it, and was on the edge of his seat for the entire length of the work. He said he never lost interest - quite something for a young mediahead. I don't think it has anything to do with his well developed musical skills. This work is a great introduction to the dramatic power of music - I think anyone of his friends would have loved it, too. 

The huge orchestra filled the room. The special effects horn calls, brass groups and bands were placed both behind the audience and front off-stage to good effect. Maybe Mahler's love of opera gave him the confidence to bring such mechanics to the concert stage. I don't know how audiences reacted to this in his day - but the Orlando audience ate it up. So did I. Composing something of the sort today would be considered anachronistic pastiche because we do not come across brass bands, like folks would have in Mahler's day. Even used  as sound effect, as in this work, it is still a unique sensual experience. And to save the choir to the end of the piece - bold - seemingly unjust, until you hear the music. Like Beethoven's 9th, the choir sits for a long time before we hear them - but when we do, the music is unforgettable and the holding out through all of those movements makes perfect sense. 

Strangely, I first became familiar with this symphony through Luciano Berio's "Sinfonia" as recorded by the Swingle Singers. Berio lifted great chunks of this piece for his uses, assuming familiarity perhaps - but those lines in the second movement, and the peaks and releases have so much personality: it is no wonder they enchanted Berio. I loved hearing the work live for the first time. 

The highlight of the evening (as Mahler designed, I'm sure) were the last movements with the voices of soprano Janette Zilioli and mezzo Sarah Limper. Janette colored her music with great care and sensitivity - stretching dipthongs so wonderfully. Her bright voice adorned the music. The big surprise for me, however, was mezzo Sarah. I was so moved by her singing - almost to tears! So powerful her voice, even more than Janette's, yet so intimate. Those gorgeous musical lines swept me away onto those rich dominant 9th chord appogituras - oh my... I later heard from Mastro Wilkins that she was actually crying on stage as she sang. Somehow, that escaped me - but, I must admit - I am in love with the woman's dark and resonant voice. Leave it to Mahler to fire up the heart, mind, spirit and imagination! A flawless performance by Maestro Wilkins (without a score, as usual) and the ever surprising OPO.