Well,this Philistine is certainly getting a huge dosage of cultural experience lately!And the best at that!
My husband and I got an invitation/complimentary tickets by no other than the famous conductor himself-Paul Daniel CBE who has conducted at New York Met and all over the world! He is now going to be the Principal Conductor of Western Australia Symphony .The resources boom certainly affords them the best in the world.
How did we get this privilege? He happens to be the fiance of my daughter’s very good friend in London!Hence,the opportunity.We realized we had great seats when the NSW Governor Prof/Doctor Marie Bashir came in with the three members of her entourage to occupy the seats in front of us.
Paul Daniel conducted the Sydney Symphony in Brahms”Fifth Symphony”Having met the conductor a few years before I really concentrated on his performance.It was absolutely mesmerizing watching the movement of his baton!? and the fine nuances of his amazingly expressive fingers and the effect on the music-the movement and sound!When his whole body and hands move to a huge finale or crescendo-one can almost feel his whole body ready to fly!One gets transported to the realms of the Gods. It was a sublime experience to be right there at the magnificent Opera House.
Sometimes, when I am alone in the house I put on classical music in full volume.It is one of my favourite time to spend an afternoon.To experience it live and witness a great conductor in full flight is a rare privilege indeed.I thanked all the people involved in having the opportunity.
My husband and I went to the stage door to wait for him and thank him personally.He apologized for making us wait because Governor Bashir came backstage to congratulate him.I didn’t have a bouquet of flowers to give him and gave him some chocolate Tim Tams instead.Sublime to the ridiculous perhaps,but fun! He happened to be free so we got the chance to drive him around to wind down and had a lovely seafood dinner at Watson’s Bay.
He is such a sweet guy and so normal(whatever that is!)and unassuming!I had to ask him how he could remain so nice when he gets such kudos and adulation in the highest realm of the musical world.The way I understood it as he explained it-It is basically the fact that he is performing a job to the best of his ability and shouldn’t really make his persona any different.”To walk with Kings and keep the common touch”Gibran?
Some people who let fame get to their heads has lessons to learn from him. May he live a long and healthy life and continue to entertain,mesmerize,transport to the extraordinary more people in the world and remain a nice guy!Beautiful music is truly the food for the soul! Thanks Paul!
