NOAH OSHIRO, CELLIST (CONCERT)

Greenaway Studio, Chapman August 25

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Listening to 23 year old cellist Noah Oshiro playing his program of 5 distinctive works, you could only wonder how someone of that age could have achieved such maturity in musical performance already.

He began playing the cello at the age of 3. He is currently completing his final year of his Bachelor of Music in Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under Julian Smiles and Danny Yeadon.

He has also studied in Europe, was a featured artist at the 2024 Orange Chamber Music Festival and has toured for Musica Viva as well as with other groups including the Brodsky Quartet and Ensemble Apex String Quartet.

His program began with his own composition, Improvisando, showing not only his ability with the cello but also his skill as a composer. It was a wide-ranging work that appealed to the emotions – dark and moody at times and then bursting with passion and colour.

He followed this with four very different works that showed his versatility. J.S. Bach’s solo cello suite, Prelude in D minor, was the first, followed by Julie-O by the American composer, Mark Summer, Water Spirit Song by Australia’s Ross Edwards and the first movement of Zoltan Kodaly’s Solo Cello Sonata. His program concluded with Lamentatio by Giovanni Sollima.

It was a rich program of widely varying works all played superbly. In the intimate performing space, he established an immediate rapport with his audience with his confident and friendly demeanour and lucid comments about the various pieces played. The warmth in the audience’s applause at the end of this young man’s remarkable recital was richly deserved.

 

Photo by Len Power

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 26 August 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs. 

THE MERRY WIDOW (OPERETTA)

Music by Franz Lehar

Music arranged by Melvin Tay

Directed by Ylaria Rogers

Conducted by Louis Sharpe

National Opera Canberra

Q Theatre, Queanbeyan to August 25.

 

Reviewed by Len Power 23 August 2024

 

This well-known operetta, first performed in Vienna in 1905, was a good choice for National Opera. It has remained in the international repertoire constantly since its first performance. With its gorgeous musical score and colourful, easy to follow story, it is a firm audience favourite.

Opening at a ball in the embassy in Paris of the poverty-stricken Balkan principality of Pontevedro, the ambassador, Baron Zeta, is scheming that his first secretary, Count Danilo Danilovitsch, will marry a guest at the ball, widow, Hanna Glawari. This will ensure that the large amount of money she has inherited stays in the country. Unfortunately, Count Danilo is more interested in spending his time these days at Maxim’s, a popular Paris nightclub.

This production is notable for the high standard of singing by the principals and chorus. As the widow, soprano Sarah Darnley-Stuart sings the role beautifully and is a commanding presence, giving a charming and believable characterization as the widow.

Wally Allington (Count Danilo) and Sarah Darnley-Stuart (Hanna Glawari, the widow)

At the opening night, the cover for the role of Count Danilo, Wally Allington, gave a strong, confident performance and sang it very well. There was also fine singing by Damian Arnold as Camille de Rosillon and Alira Prideaux as Valencienne, but the ‘open fly’ gag for Camille was crass and has no place in operetta.

Max Gambale gave a nicely sinister performance as Bogdanovitch, the military attache, and sang very well and the Grisettes, from Kix Arts Productions, wowed the audience with “The Girls at Maxim’s” dance number.

Alira Prideaux (centre) with the Grisettes

The minor characters and chorus all sang very well but there was a lack of depth and even an awkwardness in the performances of many of the company. It was not enough to just be able to sing well, these upper-class sophisticates needed distinctive characterizations of style and elegance.

The chamber orchestra, conducted by Louis Sharpe, gave a sensitive performance of the score. Designed by Eryn Marshall, the setting with its drapery gave height and a sense of grandness to the upper-class society locations, but the central rostra with the side steps looked more of a compromise rather than a grand entrance. The women’s costumes, co-ordinated by Helen Wojtas, were well chosen and colourful while the men’s costumes were dull and uninteresting.

Nevertheless, the charm of this show, particularly its music and singing, managed to overcome the uneven acting and made it an entertaining evening, showing why this operetta is still popular with audiences.

 

Photos by Peter Hislop

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

  

EVERY BRILLIANT THING (PLAY)

Jarrad West

Written by Duncan MacMillan

Directed by Joel Horwood

ACT HUB Theatre, Kingston to August 25

 

 

Reviewed by Len Power 20 August 2024

 

In Duncan MacMillan’s play, a seven year old boy makes a list of every brilliant thing in the world as a way of dealing with a suicidal mother. The list grows and what had been a way of naively getting through the day becomes, as the decades pass, a way of giving meaning to life through the celebration of everyday things.

This one person play is edgy, surprising and also very funny as the performer takes us on the bumpy journey through his life and his lists. Relating incidents and characters in his life as he grows to adulthood, the audience is drawn deeply into the play.

In a theatre-in-the-round setting, audience members are greeted by a relaxed and engaging performer as they arrive. His informality is key to events as the play unfolds.

Jarrad West is outstanding as the performer. Whether looking back to his time as a seven year old, to his teenage years and then on to his adult years, he is completely convincing. It’s a performance on a knife-edge, relying throughout on audience responses. West never falters, bringing energy as well as a touching sensitivity to the role.

There is an excellent sound design by Nikki Fitzgerald of snippets from songs that have a meaning in the character’s life, adding a welcome sentimentality to the show. We empathise with the power of music on him.

Joel Horwood’s direction of the show is tight, busy and imaginative, giving West the opportunity to bring considerable depth, both verbally and non-verbally, to his role.

There is some audience participation in the play, but it’s so well-written and staged that it’s a plus and a highlight and no-one should find it threatening.  In fact, as everyone becomes a part of this story, you’ll probably hope to be involved.

 

Photo by Jane Duong

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 21 August 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

THE OFFERING (PLAY)

By Omar Musa & Mariel Roberts

Q The Locals at the B Theatre, Queanbeyan 8 August

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Described as a “spoken word oratorio”, The Offering is an often head-spinning journey on themes such as environmental destruction, climate change, Southeast Asian colonial history, belonging and borderlessness.

Combining storytelling, poetry, hip hop, and live music with sound recordings made in Bornean forests and coral reefs, it’s a sensual and demanding work that requires close attention. A multitude of ideas and reflections jostle with autobiography, a sense of cultural and historical uneasiness and a cry of concern for the state of our world.

Award-winning Australian author, poet and rapper, Omar Musa, and internationally renowned American cellist and composer, Mariel Roberts have combined their strengths in words and music to present an uncompromising, dark, sensual and yet strangely optimistic view of our world.

Omar Musa

Omar Musa is a charismatic performer with boundless energy. Moving easily from storytelling to poetry to song, he has a powerful presence that demands and holds your attention. There is nothing remote about him. He can change quickly from intense orator to local lad in an instant, his disarming smile and down to earth manner is often as surprising as it is unexpected.

Mariel Roberts

Mariel Roberts shows that she is clearly a cellist of international standard. The soundscape she has developed to accompany Omar’s words creates an extraordinary atmosphere that matches and adds another dimension of its own. Watching her playing, the sounds and music that she can produce from her instrument are astounding.

Mariel Roberts and Omar Musa

The Offering is a unique, thoughtful and colourful view of the world through words and music. Cleverly presented in modern forms that appeal to the audience of today, it’s a journey to remember.

 

Photos by Nana Franck

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

 

  

BEETHOVEN 9 (CONCERT)

Canberra Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Emma Pearson, soprano

Ashlyn Tymms, mezzo-soprano

James Egglestone, tenor

Adrian Tamburini, bass

Conducted by Jessica Cottis

Llewelyn Hall August 7

 

Reviewed by Len Power

Marking the 200^th anniversary of Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra (CSO) presented an exciting program that included not only the symphony but a world premiere of a work that took its inspiration from that symphony as well.

The evening commenced with Daughters of Elysium, a new work by New Zealand-Australian composer, Miriama Young. The work took its title and inspiration from Friedrich Schiller’s poem, An die Freude (Ode To Joy). The blissful conception of an afterlife, the glorious Elysian Fields held great significance in the ancient Greek imagination.

Commencing quietly with a heartbeat, the work was a journey through life, both dynamic and reflective, leading to a peaceful and thoughtful conclusion. The idea of universal sister/brotherhood was evident in this colourful and appealing work, and it was given a fine performance by the orchestra, conducted by Jessica Cottis.

Jessica Cottis

The major work of the evening was Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony. First performed in Vienna in 1824, it remains one of the best known and loved pieces of classical music two centuries later. Its Ode To Joy melody has become the anthem for the European Union and has entered the public consciousness through many film and television programs.

Joining the CSO was the large CSO Chorus. Tobias Cole was the Chorus Master. Soloists Emma Pearson, soprano, Ashlyn Tymms, mezzo-soprano, James Egglestone, tenor and Adrian Tamburini, bass all came with a formidable list of international credits. Jessica Cottis, with her own international reputation, was the conductor.

Soloists Emma Pearson and Ashlyn Tymms

From the first movement, the clarity and dynamism of this performance was evident. The driving rhythms of the second movement gave way to a moment of lightness that hinted at the joy to come in the work’s finale. The beautiful, melodic third movement with its two themes was intensely moving.

The fourth movement with its strong beginning led the orchestra into the Ode To Joy theme and, from then on, the power of the soloists, chorus and orchestra together made this final part of the work an emotionally uplifting experience.

This was a memorable performance of the entire work, clearly bringing out Beethoven’s message of peace, joy and a united humanity. The numerous curtain calls and standing ovation were richly deserved. During one of the curtain calls, Jessica Cottis held up a copy of the music score and pointed to Beethoven’s name, bringing a resounding cheer from the audience. It was a fitting tribute for the great composer’s 200^th anniversary of this work.

 

Photos by Arianne Schlumpp

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 8 August 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

 

MAGNIFICAT (CONCERT)

Luminescence Chamber Singers and Children’s Choir

Apeiron Baroque

Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest August 4

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Joining forces with Apeiron Baroque, the Luminescence Singers and Children’s Choir presented works from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque era, paying homage to the composers of the Ospedali Schools of Venice, where young singers studied under the tutelage of Italy’s finest musicians.

Commencing with Claudio Monteverdi’s 1641 composition, Beatus Vir, the singers and instrumentalists impressed with their haunting performance of this beautiful work.

It was followed by another Monteverdi piece from 1610, Duo Seraphim. It was sung by Lucien Fischer, baritone, Dan Walker, tenor, and Tom Hallworth, tenor. The pleasing blend of their voices made this one of the highlights of the concert.

From a composer who started his career as a music teacher in Venice, Apeiron Baroque then played Giovanni Reali’s Folia from 1709. This work was given a fine performance, especially the very lively finale.

Luminescence Singers and Apeiron Baroque

Francesco Cavalli worked under the tutelage of Monteverdi in Venice. From his collection of sacred works, Musiche Sacre, from 1656, the singers and instrumentalists performed his Lauda Jerusalem. Their voices brought out all the sensitivity in this work, filling the church with glorious sound.

Luminescence Children's Choir conducted by AJ America with Apeiron Baroque

After an interval, the Children’s Choir joined the singers and Apeiron Baroque for a performance of Nicola Porpora’s Magnificat, written in 1745. The children sang with accuracy and warmth, making this another highlight of the concert.

Heinrich Biber’s quirky Sonata Representativa was then presented by Apeiron Baroque. This work imitates various birds and even a frog at one point. John Ma on violin gave an amusing commentary between sections of the work, making this a delightful change of pace for the concert.

Alasdair Stretch as "The Schoolmaster in The Singing School" with the Luminescence Holiday Program Children's Choir and Apeiron Baroque

The final work presented was Christoph Fehre’s 1751 Comic Cantata: The Schoolmaster in the Singing School. It was performed by the Luminescence Children’s Choir Holiday Program participants, with Alasdair Stretch, bass-baritone, as the pompous schoolmaster. This work, full of humour and irony, was given a nicely controlled and amusing performance by the children. Stretch was a delight as the harried schoolmaster.

 

Photos by Peter Hislop

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 5 August 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

  

THE SUNSHINE CLUB (MUSICAL)

Written and directed by Wesley Enoch

Music by John Rodgers

HIT Productions

Q Theatre Queanbeyan to 1 August

 

Reviewed by Len Power 31 August 2024

 

Living under The Aborigines Protection Act, Indigenous Australians were not allowed to travel, earn the same money and marry or own property. Their lives should have been changed by the 1967 Referendum which removed racial discrimination clauses from the Constitution, but fifty years on and Indigenous Australians are still battling for true equal rights.

“The Sunshine Club” is a musical based on real-life clubs that sprang up after World War II, creating places where black and white could be together. Frank Doyle is a young man just returned from the war. He thinks that the war has changed everything but is shocked to find himself barred from dance venues because he is black. He decides to open “The Sunshine Club” where all races are welcome. It’s not all sunshine, though, as Frank finds that racial discrimination does not go away that easily.

The strengths of this show are the music of John Rogers, which encompasses a number of post-WWII styles, and the colourful characters that work and frequent the club. The substantial set designed by Adrienne Chisholm looks like an atmospheric old community hall or theatre and the show moves at a good pace with plenty of entertaining musical sequences.

The darker side of this story is realistic and moving and is reflected in some good, serious songs by John Rogers. The band played very well but at times overpowered the performers.

This show gives the cast of eight plenty of opportunities to shine. Roxanne McDonald makes an indelible impression as Aunty Faith Doyle, Garret Lyon gives both strength and an appealing naivety to Frank Doyle, Claire Warrillow is sweetly ambitious as club singer, Rose Morris, and Rune Nydal impresses with his energy and fine dancing. The cast’s singing of the final song “If Not Now, Then When” was darkly moving.

You could see why this show was successful in its original run in the 1990s and, while it has dated somewhat, it still has relevance today.

 

Photo supplied by the production

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.