Taylor Long, Broadway World Toronto

The heart-pounding “O Fortuna” fills the Roy Thomson Hall to the brim with the sound of a full orchestra and over one hundred voices. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) presents the finale to their “Decades Project: 1930-1939”, CARMINA BURANA by Carl Orff, featuring the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Toronto Children’s Chorus and soloists Aline Kutan (soprano), Daniel Taylor (countertenor) and Phillip Addis (baritone). The evening also featured the world premiere of a TSO-commissioned piece by composer Pierre Simard, The Bastion: Sesquie for Canada’s 150thand Karol Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No.2, Op.61 featuring soloist Nicola Benedetti (violin). The triple bill was a grand celebration of orchestral music, bringing the audience to their feet in enthusiastic applause.

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Following the suspense of watching over one hundred choir members enter the hall – Orff’s CARMINA BURANA begins. “O Fortuna” may be one of the most popular pieces of classical music, but I can’t recall if I’ve ever heard it sung with such incomparably crisp diction. Oundjian makes CARMINA BURANA extremely exciting in the way he drives the tempo and skillfully manipulates the work’s dynamics. The work has a wonderful flow to it, adding to the excitement – some moments are serene and hushed, before being interrupted by jubilant fanfare. (The transition from “In trutina” to “Tempus best iocundum” comes to mind).

Read the full review on Broadway World.