Leslie Barcza, Barczablog, 12th January 2023
“…it was truly brilliant.
The Toronto Symphony and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were led tonight by Michael Francis in a program that left me speechless with wonder…
Tonight it was as though someone (Francis? Or the ghosts of Mozart, Allegri, Beethoven & Van Bingen) sought to consecrate the hall, to bless this space. For the moment I’m in an altered state as I recall the experience, seeing and hearing it in a whole new way. The first half of the concert was like that, not just the music but also the way it was executed…
They’re precise and accurate, powerful when called upon by Francis, but delicate when necessary.
If your experience is anything like mine after that stunning opening, you’ll come to the Requiem ready to be moved, tenderized and vulnerable. Francis, the soloists, the choir and the orchestra will not disappoint you.”
