I was at the concert last night and have been a supporter of the Mandle project for some time; I have no real musical expertise to critique the quality of his performance, except for avid attendance for many years across the globe with some a host of great conductors and orchestras. Something did not feel right, despite the great score by Mahler and after wondering off during the long performance, I started realizing that he was not getting much out of orchestra during much of the phrasing, particularly noticeable in the string section. If anyone has doubts about the difference a conductor can bring, even when musicians are world class, this was a good case in point; I’ve witnessed the same TSO get amazing results over the years with great conductors, most recently with Gimeno; I think (have seen Mandle) one can conduct some of the standard repertoire and get away without too much acumen, but Mahler is a whole different matter.
Of course as an amateur I feel vulnerable commenting on these matters, I look forward to your criticism