The third row in the main hall of the Sydney Opera House is a good place to be if you want the music, in this case Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.22 in E Flat, K482 to wash over you. It does so literally and figuratively and the sound cocoons you up, inviting you to close your eyes and to be lost in it. And, if you are not careful, to start nodding off. It is 34 minutes of relaxation, through the seats prevent you from completely slipping away. The third row is also a good place from which to be distracted by all the movement happening in the violins and cellos (you can’t see much orchestra beyond that) and to watch the disheveled Emanuel Ax, Ukrainian (now American) piano magician run his fingers over the Steinway. But it was his mouth that caught my attention. For a moment I thought he was counting time and maybe he was. But it was pretty clear he had something else he was singing to the concerto as he got lost in his own music. I gave up trying to work it out and closed my eyes in order to enjoy it all the more, and did so hoping he was not simply running doh re me scales in his head.
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