“I was listening to the violins, and they have quite a few difficult passages, fast passages, and I was very surprised by the orchestra. It is absolutely terrific. 

“A lot of fabulous musicians who have incredible technique, from the violin players, ... the trumpet players are incredible, percussion and the people who performed on stage — just fabulous. I cannot say enough.”

***

With my background, [the performance] is something that has been totally thought out — from the music, from East, West, from the performers, and from the ability to be so precise. This doesn’t happen by practicing an hour a day. This is a total life commitment. And what impressed me so much is it is a total life commitment of the past, which many of us here in the West, unless you are an historian, have no idea. It was great." 

***

“[The Eastern and Western instruments] are so together. It is so together. You know so many times, when you hear a production, you will hear sections of instruments. But you don’t get the blend, where somebody is stating a phrase here, and it is transferred over here. It is so well connected. It is fabulous.”

***

“I used to play operas. The conductor has got so many things to do. ...In this case here, the conductor has to know the score impeccably, he has to know the synchronization of what is going on [on stage], and so the conductor isn’t just looking at the score, just doing this, because he has got to be looking at this and making sure everything is absolutely precise. He does a fabulous job.”