Janos Gereben replies to Roger Hecht:

>>Going strictly by recordings, Falletta is inconsistent in this regard.
>>Always good, sometimes great, but not always.
>
>I can second Roger's judgment from "the other end," my own, exclusively
>live experience.  Saw her conduct many times, not familiar with her
>recording.  Some excellent results ("great" may be excessive),  ...

On second thought, you're right: "great" is excessive.

> ... never below a high baseline, utterly charming with musicians
>and audiences: http://www.sfcv.org/arts_revs/music_news_7_26_05.php.

About covers it, actually.

>Falletta certainly deserves a medium-size orchestra of her own, something
>bigger - and more busy - than the Honolulu orchestra, which she is certain
>to lead.  (Not that there is anything wrong with Honolulu, my former
>"home base"...:)

Right now she has Buffalo, Virginia, and Honolulu.  She once had Long
Beach.  I don't know Honolulu, but Buffalo is very good, and the other
two are quite good, as well, from the evidence of recordings.

Roger Hecht