Event: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Venue: Lighthouse, Poole

THE eagerly anticipated escape to Old World Vienna in the New Year Viennese Gala, delayed by a fifteen-minute technical' hitch on the afternoon performance, soon fell under the spell of popular conductor Gunther Bauer-Schenk. As always he brings out the best from the BSO in this repertoire with his idiomatic expertise and gentlemanly introductions.

Suppé's delightful Overture The Beautiful Galatea soon put us in waltz mood followed by Josef Strauss's Village Swallows, with some hard-to-swallow bird calls emanating from percussionist Matt King.

The return of Irish soprano Ailish Tynan in even finer form, her Viljalied from Lehar's The Merry Widow swept all other performances out of the window, such was her sweet-toned passionate perspective. And how nice to see her adoring audience acknowledged with a curtsy.

Adele's Laughing Song from Die Fledermaus, also superbly sung, from king of the waltz Johann Strauss ll along with Bauer-Schenk's charmingly imbued proprietary persuasiveness in the Die Fledermaus Quadrille and Klip-Klapp Galop.

Josef Strauss's ingeniously observed Die Schwatzerin Polka mazur with oboist Edward Kay's wonderfully effective gossiping women imitation raised a smile and, true to life, had the last word.

The obligatory Strauss favourites were warmly received and thoroughly enjoyed. 2008 is off to a great start.