Live broadcast of my choir's performance of Mahler's 8th Symphony

Cafe Society
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My choir’s performance of Mahler’s 8th Symphony (‘Symphony of a Thousand’) will be broadcast live from the Sydney Opera House on Thursday night (18 February), in a concert starting at 8.00pm* Australian eastern daylight saving time. We’ll be singing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and other choirs from Adelaide and Perth, under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Mahler 8 is a great sing. Last time I did it was in the Albert Hall in London in 2002. This will be the first time I’ve done it at my ‘home ground’, so to speak.

If you’d like to listen, go to ABC Classic FM and click on the Listen Now Link.

  • Start times for other locations

10.00pm New Zealand
7.30pm South Australia
7.00pm Queensland
6.30pm Northern Territory
5.00pm Western Australia
10.00am Western Europe
9.00am UK
4.00am Canada/US east coast
1.00am Canada/US west coast

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Wow, this sounds great. The start time isn’t that great for me (Western US) but I might actually be awake to hear it.

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Sometimes the performances are available as podcasts after the event. I’ll let people know of that’s the case.

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So…1AM on Friday the 19th or those of us on the West Coast? I’ll set my phone alarm I’ll probably be up then.

5

Very cool. I’ve been on a huge Mahler binge lately…just listened to the Kubelik recording of the 8th this morning.

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No. It will be 1.00am on Thursday 18 February.

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Just a bump to remind people about the live broadcast in four hours’ time. And also to give a link to the program (available in PDF format from this page.)

It was a bit wobbly at last night’s final rehearsal, but I’m sure tonight will be fine. It’s completely sold out, and all of the glitterati should be there because it’s the Gala opening of the 2010 season.

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I’ve just started up the mp3 stream here in California… audio quality is excellent and I’m really looking forward to the concert!

Thanks for sharing this with us, Cunctator. Good luck!

[Wouldn’t you just die without Mahler?]

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That was most enjoyable…

Thanks, Cunctator, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and ~450 others on stage!

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I’m glad that you enjoyed it Antonius. We thought it went pretty well, although as always, it could have been better. There was a hairy moment just after the start of Part II when Ashkenazy knocked his glasses off and they went flying into the the second row of the first violins. It was very interesting to see the various members of the strings pass them back up the line to Ashkenazy, who then managed to put them back on, all without missing a beat.

We have a patching call tonight (for the recording), and then another performance tomorrow (Saturday) night.

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I’m so sorry - I tried, but after 6 hours of Capriccio rehearsals (or as I call it “Stand around to Strauss”), my head was hitting the desk 2 hours before the concert even began. After the third time of waking up with my face in the keyboard, I figured it was a sign…

Glad to hear it went well - I’ll keep an ear peeled for the recording.

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A pretty good review in this morning’s paper: Massed forces shine in message of love