Joseph So, La Scena Musicale, 12th January 2023
“With British conductor Michael Francis at the helm, the evening opened dramatically, in a totally dark theatre, with “O virtus Sapientiae,” an ode to wisdom, by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179). Ten female members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers entered downstage and slowly crossed from left to right, while singing the 2-minute piece. Sitting in the auditorium and hearing this disembodied sound, the effect was striking and ethereal, a marvelous start to the evening…
Kudos to British conductor Michael Francis for leading the TSO so beautifully, with a felicitous mix of energy, passion, elegance and elan. He’s also a wonderful speaker, his comments on the music offer the listeners insights in a matter of minutes.”
