“[Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie] The Symphonie’s rhythms, structures, and harmonic relations are all incredibly complex and varied, but conductor Stefan Asbury and the APO never flagged during this spectacular concert… The fifth movement was a highlight and the orchestra flung itself into this dancing maelstrom with power and abandon… Stefan Asbury’s conducting led us through this thicket of themes and motifs with logic and coherence. The musicians captured all the extreme contrasts in the work from the pure and delicate to the fiery and brutal.”

“Asbury conveys the captivatingly illustrative power of Shostakovich’s instrumentation with sheer cinematic imagination. The dreamy second movement shows the brutal conflicts with utmost severity.”

“Asbury’s sovereignty guaranteed a vivid interpretation of Messiaen [at Staatsoper Hannover] which will stay in the audience’s memory for a long time.”

“The big surprise was that the new chief’s authority, he was able to show this convincingly in standard repertoire. The prelude and Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde was full of romantic mystery. With elegant tension proved the conductor that in silence the most beautiful music can hide. Asbury’s handling of parts from Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet music was nothing less than a sensation. He seemingly effortlessly elicited transparency and bright colors out of the orchestra, and his honest approach won him in perfect drops of theater out of the score. We have seldom heard this orchestra play so well. After the concert, the musicians applauded for the new chief-conductor and everyone was there to shine… Groningen has something to discover…”

“Outstanding: Stefan Asbury at the helm of the 11-strong ensemble from Klangforum Wien.”