MUSIC
THOMAS HAMPSON ★★★★
With Maciej Pikulski
Melbourne Recital Centre, May 31

Mahler was never in safer hands than those of Thomas Hampson. This is a veteran musician who knows the exact meaning behind every word and every note – and probably what Gustav was doing the morning he wrote it.

Nothing is overlooked. It's a partnership that has borne innumerable iconic performances, and proven beneficial for both composer and singer.

The 62-year-old American is opera's answer to George Clooney. Six-foot-four and silver haired, he cuts a striking figure and casts a storyteller's spell. Decorated with countless honours and a repertoire of more than 80 roles on the globe's greatest stages, Hampson is one of the living few with Pavarotti-like legend status.

In his first performance on the Australian stage, Hampson, alongside poetic pianist Maciej Pikulski, presented a program of Schubert and Mahler lieder, followed by an assortment of French and American songs. Hampson's knowledge of music history and composition is almost unmatched by any modern singer. This consummate comprehension allows him to create an intricately detailed performance of selections from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn, the highlight of the evening.