★★★★★ An invigorating tour of Vienna with a star violinist.

Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
June 26, 2016

In a world divided between the givers and the takers, Japanese-US violinist Midori Gotō is definitely a giver. Committed to passing on the benefits of three decades of classical music performance to young students, no sooner had her nine-and-a-half hour flight from Japan to Sydney touched down the day before her Sydney Opera House Utzon series performance than the 44-year-old virtuoso was giving a masterclass to members of Sydney Youth Orchestras.

Her recital consisted of five challenging pieces by composers associated with Vienna – this would be demanding for one recital, yet alone repeating it three hours later. Midori makes virtuosity seem so effortless. With her perfect intonation the music lives beneath her fingers. She’s a physical performer, stamping her foot to emphasise a beat and swaying and weaving with her Guarnerius del Gesu tucked under her chin.

Our journey around Vienna began in a lively way with Franz Liszt’s Soirees de Vienne, Valses-Caprices, dedicated to Schubert and with a nice little waltz in the middle. It wouldn’t be Liszt without challenges to both performers but here Ozgur Aydin was given a starring role with...