CHRIS PEDLER
18/01/2009 12:14:00 AM
A high-quality 'Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields' festival came to a close last night.
A capacity crowd filled St Patrick Cathedral for the Interpreti Veneziani after harpsichord player Michele Benuzzi played at Loreto College during the afternoon.
Crowds sat in awed silence, closed their eyes and let the music wash over them as Mr Benuzzi played the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons.
The music festival attracted record crowds at regional performances in Talbot and Clunes, with Mr Benuzzi playing in front of a full house in Daylesford.
"Attendances have been as good, if not better, than last year," said festival board member Michael Dunne. "The standard of performances has been uniformally high and well received. We expected a full house of 700 (last night)."
Chris Pedlar, Reviewer
And from an ealier review by the same newspaper...
Harpsichordist Michele Benuzzi has been one of the surprises of the festival. He performs with great style, delivering a well-shaped lyrical melodic line, while maintaining the enthusiastic rhythmic energy inherent in late baroque and early classical Spanish compositions.