Art Song Canberra
Rebecca Ryan, Soprano
Anthony Smith, Piano
Wesley Music Centre,
Forrest 31 March
Reviewed by Len Power
In ‘Love and Life’, Art Song Canberra’s latest concert, soprano
Rebecca Ryan and pianist Anthony Smith performed a thoughtfully prepared set of
songs by Schumann, Duparc, Fauré, Berlioz and Richard Strauss.
Rebecca Ryan is a graduate of Otago University in New
Zealand and London’s Royal Academy of Music.
She came to prominence singing the UK premiere of the newly discovered ‘Gloria’
by Handel. She has appeared in concert
performances world-wide and has sung a wide variety of operatic roles.
Anthony Smith is a Canberra-based composer and
musicologist. He graduated from the ANU
School of Music in 1999 and has performed in many countries around the world. He has worked as an accompanist for the ANU
School Of Music for many years and is the repetiteur of three major Canberra
choirs.
The concert commenced with ‘A Woman’s Love and Life’ by
Robert Schumann. Rebecca Ryan’s fine
soprano brought out all the colour and emotion of this eight part work. She was particularly impressive in the quiet
and reflective ‘Sweet friend, you gaze’ and the moving finale ‘Now you have
caused me pain for the first time’.
Anthony Smith’s accompaniment for this verse was especially fine.
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| Rebecca Ryan |
This was followed by two romantic songs by Henri
Duparc. The highlight of these two works
was ‘Chanson Triste’ which was beautifully sung and played as was Fauré’s
dream-like ‘Autumn’ and ‘Au bord de l’eau’ which followed.
After interval, Rebecca Ryan sang two songs by Berlioz. The quiet emotion of ‘Absence’ was nicely
contrasted with the brightness of ‘Villanelle’ and both were sung and
accompanied very well.
The final work presented in the concert was ‘Four Last
Songs’ by Richard Strauss. Rebecca Ryan
displayed the full power and richness of her voice with an excellent
performance of all four songs. Her
singing of ‘September’ was especially moving and Anthony Smith’s accompaniment
for all four songs was sublime.
This review was first
published in the Canberra City News digital edition of 1 April 2019.
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast on the Artsound FM 92.7 ‘In the Foyer’ program on Mondays
and Wednesdays at 3.30pm.
