Conductor: Leonard
Weiss
Soloist: Louise Page
Wesley Uniting
Church, Forrest 27 October
Reviewed by Len Power
After their successful inaugural concert in July, Canberra
Sinfonia presented a fine second concert at the Wesley Uniting Church in
Forrest. Conducted by Leonard Weiss, the
young artists performed a program of Bartók and Haydn and, after interval, they
were joined by their Patron, soprano Louise Page, who sang arias by Handel and
Mozart.
The ‘Romanian Folk Dances’ by Béla Bartók gave the concert a
stirring opening with throbbing, earthy rhythms and romantic melodies in six
movements. It was tightly played by the
orchestra, especially the spectacularly busy final movement.
The second item on the program was Joseph Haydn’s Symphony
No. 63 (second version). The first
version is scored for flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani
and strings, while the second version has the same scoring but with only one
bassoon and no trumpets or timpani. The
final two movements differ from the first version, particularly with the oboe
and bassoon trio in the third movement.
The orchestra gave a fine performance of all four movements
of this work. The energetic playing of
the first movement contrasted with the nicely played, melodic second, or
‘Roxelane’, movement. The third movement
was notable for the fine playing of the trio by Caitin McAnulty and Timothy
Elphick on the oboes and bassoonist, Jordan London. The final movement was given a strong and
colourful performance.
From the 18th century musical drama, ‘Semele’, by
George Frideric Handel, Louise Page sang two arias. ‘Where’er you walk’ was hauntingly sung,
evoking a promised garden paradise. Page
gave the second aria, ‘O sleep, why dost though leave me?’, an affecting
emotional performance.
 |
| Louise Page |
The program finished with four of Mozart’s most beautiful
arias for soprano. All four were expertly
sung including a delicately moving ‘Porgi Amor’ (Grant, love, some comfort) from
‘The Marriage Of Figaro’ and a fine acting and singing performance of
conflicted emotions for ‘In What Excesses, O Heavens’ from ‘Don Giovanni’.
The accompaniment for the Handel and Mozart arias was
sensitive and with a good balance between orchestra and singer.
Photos by Peter Hislop
This review was first
published in the Canberra City News digital edition of 29 October 2018.
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast in his ‘On Stage’ performing arts radio program on Mondays
and Wednesdays from 3.30pm on Artsound FM 92.7.
