Copuple of evenings ago here in Munich Gianluigi Gelmetti conducted the
general rehearsal of the world premiere of his very own _Prasanta Atma_.
I attended.  The piece runs for about 20 minutes and though not tuneful is
otherwise beguiling for its able and pronounced use of metal idiophones--an
anvil, celesta, tubular bells, cymbals, rubbed metal.  Though
modern-sounding it wasn't strident and served well as a sort of bracer
for what was to follow, Rossini's (trop longue) Petite Messe solonnelle
(inspirited by the sound of bells, though not particularly orchestrated
with it).  Gelmetti looks like a man who likes his pasta but, for that, is
a very graceful and expressive conductor.  His Rossini was splendid--and
exigent of the Munich Philharmonic orchestra, the Philharmonic choir, and
three excellent singers imported from Italy (the fourth, the basso, was
also Italian, but just that.)

Denis Fodor                     Internet:[log in to unmask]