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Leon Fleisher & festival AD - Mitsuko Uchida close 66th Marlboro / Barre Montpelier Times Argus

The Marlboro Music Festival closed its 66th season Sunday with a splash, with Beethoven's joyful "Choral Fantasy," Op. 80, for piano, vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra.  Conducted by Leon Fleisher, the performance was more exuberant than profound as it involved virtually the entire Marlboro community in the under-rehearsed chorus.cStill, this year, the orchestra of top-notch Marlboro musicians had a strong cohesiveness, thanks much to Fleisher, a veteran musician of stature. And as soloist, Mitsuko Uchida, the festival's artistic director and one of today's top pianists, combined charisma with musical depth, performing parts appropriately as a soloist and others, connected with the orchestra, like chamber music. 
While playing, Uchida could be seen singing along with the chorus - just another indicator of the joy of the occasion.

READ THE FULL Barre Montpelier Times Argus REVIEW