Mr Tedeschi played the theatre’s grand piano, while Mr Cooper performed on violin and surprised the audience by bringing out an electric cello.

Taking advantage of the theatre’s new flexible seating, the performers played on the same level as the audience, with the sizeable crowd arced around them.

Mr Tedeschi said he was surprised and impressed by the theatre’s acoustics and appreciated its heritage-conscious renovation.

“I love that the refurbishments were done obviously in the spirit and the ethos of the architecture,” Mr Tedeschi said.

Mr Tedeschi’s last performance in the region was in Gulgong’s Prince of Wales Opera House, which he remembered as another stunning heritage building.

He came into the Town Hall Theatre before Friday’s performance expecting to need a small microphone in the piano, but the room’s natural acoustics rendered this unnecessary, and the duo only used amplification on Mr Cooper’s violin and electric cello.

Even the carpet, which he said could sometimes swallow sound, did not detract from the venue’s acoustic quality.

 “I was impressed with the ease of being able to get a good sound in there,” he said.

“Only the tiniest bit of amplification was required.”

Mr Cooper agreed that both the theatre’s natural sound and its amplification equipment were exceptional.

“I reckon they’ve put a lot of effort into this PA – it’s outstanding, it’s an outstanding PA. It has a sound that resembles a theatre worth many millions more,” Mr Cooper said.

 “And do you know what I reckon this theatre’s acoustic secret weapon is? The gold pillars. They’re very Roman – and unlike Roman columns, I’m glad they’re not crumbling!”

The concert was presented by local arts organisation Mudgee Arts, and drew an excellent crowd for the group’s first event in the renovated theatre.