Whoever was the brains behind bringing Miriam Margolyes and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra together, they deserve great kudos. Apart from being a magnificent artistic partnership, the concert brought a huge number of families into the theatre in quantities which I can’t recall seeing in quite some time.

This programme, headlined by Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, allowed families to introduce their children to orchestral masterpieces without in any way being condescending or age-specific. Whether or not an adult or child was new to orchestral music, it provided them with a high quality opportunity to discover great works and to appreciate orchestral instruments.

Miriam Margolyes needs little introduction – alas, what one can say? Seeing her at work is a great education in the art of bringing the spoken word to life. Margolyes without a doubt knows how to use her body, face and voice to add great dramatic effect to the most simplest of things, such as the short statement: “The Cat moved faster than Jo Stalin.” Her ability to be mildly self-deprecating – adding humorous depth through the smallest devices, such as a pause or an accented word – makes her a magnificent narrator.

The ASO performed three other works in addition...