And down came the rain

I love a good thunderstorm and tonight's came with artistic fanfare. As the audience of the Sottile Theatre emptied onto the George Street sidewalk, after a thundering rendition of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, fat raindrops began falling from the sky and a collective cry rang out. People clad in all shades of pastel scattered while the more intrepid folks milled about and literally soaked up the summer shower.

It's now over two hours after the standing ovation finally fell silent, and I'm still delighting in the performance. Nigel was seated directly behind me, and it was great fun to eavesdrop on his personal highlights of this Festival thus far.

With the transformation of the Sottile into an acoustical wonderland, patrons have the opportunity to sit closer to the action than ever before. The charismatic direction of Emmanuel Villaume was like discovering a musical conductor microcosm: every facial expression, every airy flow of the hands, and every staccato movement of his shoulders as the music reached a crescendo added depth and personality to the performance.

Meanwhile, guests at John Paul Huguley's show were left wondering if art has gone to the dogs: