[LJ2ME] Rush Headlong Into The Sun
As a last-minute replacement as narrator of Peter and the Wolf this evening at the Gala Opening Concert of the sophomore season of the Singapore Sun Festival, Geoffrey Rush had big shoes to fill. And he didn't hide the fact when he drolly and deprecatingly announced "I've always wanted to be Robert Redford." when he took to the stage. His deadpan delivery was spot-on and received with much applause and laughter.
On hindsight now, the reason why I wanted to catch this concert wasn't for Redford, nor for the Vienna Sangerknaben, and not even for Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Believe it or not, it was for Prokofiev's masterpiece. And boy, was I rewarded.
Under the baton of conductor, Alondra de la Parra, the Academies Festival Orchestra provided the music soundtrack to Rush's narration of the fable and was strong and stable on all counts. Comprising music students from the Peabody Institute, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and our very own Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, the newly assembled ensemble played as though they had years of experience behind them.
Prokofiev's genius showed itself in the masterly fashion he highlighted the various instruments of the orchestra, with instantly recognisable leitmotifs assigned to each instrument to represent each character in the story.
From the fleet and flighty flute obligato of the bird to the melancholic oboe refrain of the duck to the crafty theme of the cat taken by the clarinet, the woodwind principals were animated and involved in their participation. The horn calls that fleshed out the sinister menace of the titular wolf were then joined in turn by urgent strings and ominous drum rolls as the beast emerged from the woods.
Rush's narration was grounded by a gravelly voice that carried weight and presence. Though maybe off-cue at times, he managed to pull off his job and ended the story with a musical joke.
Sharing top billing was world-famous soprano, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who entertained with a selection of songs and arias. Decked out in a column shift and a matching floor-length cope coordinate in an attractive shade of turquoise peacock-green (I'll get to the censorship later), she looked every inch the opera diva she was, erm, is. Heh.
The voice seemed untouched by the years, and exhibited the luxuriant creaminess for which she is known. In the upper register, this blended with a pearl-like luster and sheen which was further enhanced by remarkable breath control and well-executed crescendos and diminuendos. Testimony perhaps and a hint of what was that special evening at Covent Garden that led to her overnight stardom as Countess Almaviva.
In Charpentier's Depuis le jour, her vocal qualities were perfectly suited to the languid plangent mood piece and she exploited every chance to showcase her top with soaring passages into the upper register.
Her Mimi wasn't as successful, in what came across as arch mannerisms and overdramatics on top of questionable Italian diction. She ended the programme with Somewhere from Bernstein's West Side Story where the climax was taken with over-the-top emphasis but however that worked.
The Vienna Boys Choir was a crowd favourite as they performed in their "away" uniform of white sailor top and black pants. Opening with Johann Strauss's Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, the nimble articulation won applause for the familiar favourite. Later, a misjudged exit necessitated conductor Julian Reynolds to stop the orchestra half-way into the introduction as the boys noisily clomped off stage, to the amused reaction of the house.
Displaying the crystalline clarity of voice and saccharine sweetness of disposition the age-old institution is legendary for, their moment in the sun was in Mascagni's Easter Hymn, where when even Kiri's searing solo was shadowed by their meltingly beautiful prayer.
In what counters the validity of professional musicians being better than amateurs, the AFO served up an exquisite rendering of the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana that almost stopped time. Also a day after the SSO's take of the Candide Overture, was it just me or did I hear more detailed nuances of the Big Band showtunes as played by the AFO?
To end, Dame Kiri encored three pieces. Coincidence or conspiracy but Sumi wore a turquoise number as did Kiri. Thus explaining the necessity for me to explore the colour palette earlier in a bid to afford each lady her own identity. O mio babbino caro was encored too, albeit with less effect than last evening, pity about the applause drowning her out when she had already started singing. She then sang one of her calling cards, Io son l'umile ancella. Fitting perhaps for the sunset of her career? It was breathtakingly stretched out to full effect and all we could do was to flounder and drown.
Wonder what's on the cards next year... Caballe, please!
On hindsight now, the reason why I wanted to catch this concert wasn't for Redford, nor for the Vienna Sangerknaben, and not even for Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Believe it or not, it was for Prokofiev's masterpiece. And boy, was I rewarded.
Under the baton of conductor, Alondra de la Parra, the Academies Festival Orchestra provided the music soundtrack to Rush's narration of the fable and was strong and stable on all counts. Comprising music students from the Peabody Institute, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and our very own Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, the newly assembled ensemble played as though they had years of experience behind them.
Prokofiev's genius showed itself in the masterly fashion he highlighted the various instruments of the orchestra, with instantly recognisable leitmotifs assigned to each instrument to represent each character in the story.
From the fleet and flighty flute obligato of the bird to the melancholic oboe refrain of the duck to the crafty theme of the cat taken by the clarinet, the woodwind principals were animated and involved in their participation. The horn calls that fleshed out the sinister menace of the titular wolf were then joined in turn by urgent strings and ominous drum rolls as the beast emerged from the woods.
Rush's narration was grounded by a gravelly voice that carried weight and presence. Though maybe off-cue at times, he managed to pull off his job and ended the story with a musical joke.
Sharing top billing was world-famous soprano, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who entertained with a selection of songs and arias. Decked out in a column shift and a matching floor-length cope coordinate in an attractive shade of turquoise peacock-green (I'll get to the censorship later), she looked every inch the opera diva she was, erm, is. Heh.
The voice seemed untouched by the years, and exhibited the luxuriant creaminess for which she is known. In the upper register, this blended with a pearl-like luster and sheen which was further enhanced by remarkable breath control and well-executed crescendos and diminuendos. Testimony perhaps and a hint of what was that special evening at Covent Garden that led to her overnight stardom as Countess Almaviva.
In Charpentier's Depuis le jour, her vocal qualities were perfectly suited to the languid plangent mood piece and she exploited every chance to showcase her top with soaring passages into the upper register.
Her Mimi wasn't as successful, in what came across as arch mannerisms and overdramatics on top of questionable Italian diction. She ended the programme with Somewhere from Bernstein's West Side Story where the climax was taken with over-the-top emphasis but however that worked.
The Vienna Boys Choir was a crowd favourite as they performed in their "away" uniform of white sailor top and black pants. Opening with Johann Strauss's Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, the nimble articulation won applause for the familiar favourite. Later, a misjudged exit necessitated conductor Julian Reynolds to stop the orchestra half-way into the introduction as the boys noisily clomped off stage, to the amused reaction of the house.
Displaying the crystalline clarity of voice and saccharine sweetness of disposition the age-old institution is legendary for, their moment in the sun was in Mascagni's Easter Hymn, where when even Kiri's searing solo was shadowed by their meltingly beautiful prayer.
In what counters the validity of professional musicians being better than amateurs, the AFO served up an exquisite rendering of the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana that almost stopped time. Also a day after the SSO's take of the Candide Overture, was it just me or did I hear more detailed nuances of the Big Band showtunes as played by the AFO?
To end, Dame Kiri encored three pieces. Coincidence or conspiracy but Sumi wore a turquoise number as did Kiri. Thus explaining the necessity for me to explore the colour palette earlier in a bid to afford each lady her own identity. O mio babbino caro was encored too, albeit with less effect than last evening, pity about the applause drowning her out when she had already started singing. She then sang one of her calling cards, Io son l'umile ancella. Fitting perhaps for the sunset of her career? It was breathtakingly stretched out to full effect and all we could do was to flounder and drown.
Wonder what's on the cards next year... Caballe, please!