Hannu Lintu was an electrifying presence in front of the NZ Symphony Orchestra on Friday night. Endlessly inventive in gesture and body movement, the Finnish conductor inspired a virtuoso sprint through Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture.
The wild unpredictability of this music reminded us of the French composer's originality.
Even when Michael Austin's lovely cor anglais melody held sway, one could still sense an underlying restlessness.
Christian Lindberg is a formidable trombonist and breezed on stage for his Leopold Mozart Concerto.
There may have been the occasional split note, but the Swede had fun, and the orchestra did wonders with Mozart's Kapellmeister score.
Lindberg's contemporary offering, Jan Sandstrom's A Motorbike Odyssey, complete with leather jacket and special effects, was less endearing. Around me, reactions to this noisy farrago ranged from patient acceptance to wild guffaws. It was certainly a long 20 minutes, the only relief coming in the third movement when a chorale tune spookily filtered through the woodwind.
After interval, Dvorak's G major Symphony had enough high octane to fuel six motorbike odysseys.
Dvorak would have warmed to the delicate rubato in the flute's perky first movement theme and been delighted by the lilting waltz of the Allegretto.
By the lusty finale, Lintu drew more and then some from the players. A stirring string theme was truly nobilmente, alongside bracing climaxes that could have been spliced into Petrushka.
