Macau Orchestra Gala Concert
Macau Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium
Last night only
The newly formed Macau Orchestra held its inauguration concert at Macau Cultural Centre last night under the baton of music director En Shao. The orchestra, the first of its kind in the enclave, is at present a mid-size one with about 40 players. Despite certain weaknesses, it showed good promise with competent overall playing.
The concert was also the first in a Beethoven series of concerts.
The opening piece was the Cariolan Overture, which was rendered with dramatic contrast. The orchestra's strong upper strings shone with high spirits, but sometimes drove too hard and drowned the winds. But then, the winds by themselves were really too meek, though not lethargic.