Mozart's Requiem - Queensland Symphony Orchestra

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Fri 20 May 2022 - Sat 21 May 2022

A capacity audience came to the QPAC Concert Hall on Election night, largely to hear the Mozart Requiem. But before the interval, one work stole the show.

I'm sure I must have heard Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" before but never has it had the impact of QSO's Election Night performance. Words like "mesmerising", "melodic" and "magical" come to mind. Principal flautist Alison Mitchell received a well-deserved ovation. Just a wonderful experience to have just before the interval.


Which might not be how I would describe" Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments". The wind and brass sections were on stage and displayed extraordinary virtuosity. Words like "challenging", "complex", "atonal" and "innovative" might best describe a piece I might not have journeyed far to hear, but am glad to have experienced.

After the interval came the Requiem. The program notes and some residual memories from "Amadeus" reminded us that this was work that Mozart himself inspired and sketched but never got to finish. Indeed some writers suggest that perhaps fittingly, his last living moments had him focused on his Requiem.

We were fortunate to have a superb line-up of soloists – Fiona Campbell (mezzo) Andrew Goodwin (tenor) Pelham Andrews (bass) and the great Sara McLiver (Soprano).

The impact was immense. Nor was there any sense of the work being unfinished. Robert Levin added an "Amen" fugue in five parts which is sublime and entirely in keeping with the spirit of the work. With conductor Jonathon Stockhammer wresting the best from the orchestra, chorus and soloists, we felt that we were hearing a performance that ranked among the best in the world, and one hopes that the ABC recording will be archived for many well-deserved repetitions. Just sublime.

It is a mark of a wonderful performance when there is a lengthy pause after the conductor lowers his arms – and there was just such a stunned silence before tumultuous applause – celebrating soloists, The Brisbane Chamber Choir with their Director who has done so much for music in Brisbane, Graeme Morton, and the QSO themselves.

Then Jonathon Stockhammer did something I have not seen before. He raised the score over his head, and the audience saluted the memory of Mozart and Mozart lovers who helped to orchestrate and preserve this glorious work.

Elections may come and elections may go, but Mozart and his Requiem live forever.



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!date 20/05/2022 -- 21/05/2022
%wnbrisbane