“But we are not only witnessing the end of one era but also the beginning of another. Tonight, the opera’s new music director Alan Gilbert shows what an outstanding conductor he is. Even the Vorspiels feverish, introductory beats make the audience calm in concentration. The smooth strings with the beautiful melodies of the double basses, the sometimes almost chamber music game where the singers are never drowned – there is so much to enjoy here. The royal court chapel also gives Gilbert a touche, a rare and well-deserved honor.”