Alice Allan, Australian Stage Online, 1 February 2009
There’s a danger when reviewing Dawn Upshaw that you’ll end up smothering your writing in superlatives. It’s easy to throw around words like ‘impeccable,’ ‘golden,’ and ‘flawless’ without really considering what they mean. The American soprano, recently awarded the MacArthur Fellowship (or ‘genius grant’), is described in the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s program as ‘one of those performers that anyone serious about the state of music today must see.’ But rather than get bogged down by hyperbole, let’s sum up Upshaw’s brilliance by noting that during her performance at Llewellyn Hall, the audience were moved to break with classical concert tradition and applauded between songs during a three-song suite.
A quick word of warning, though, before we get too excited. Fans of Upshaw may leave this performance wishing she had spent a little more time on stage. Three of the six pieces in the repertoire are performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra with Upshaw waiting in the wings, and for some, this may have been a disappointment. Yet it would be difficult to argue that you had been short-changed when the ACO are so wonderful to watch, with or without accompaniment.
The show began with James Ledger’s Restless Night, a piece commissioned to mark artistic director and lead violin Richard Tognetti’s 20th anniversary as leader of the ACO. It’s a complicated, beautiful and at times unsettling piece, which comes as close as musically possible to conjuring the feelings of a night spent tossing and turning. Being so delicate and complex, it’s also perfectly suited to showcasing the skill of the ACO, their uncanny unison, and Tognetti’s connection with each and every player.
From Restless Night the ACO launched into Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 in A, K201, which moved from soaring to stately and back with the orchestra’s trademark enthusiasm and precision. It’s clear that each member of the ACO not only has the technical ability to perform this music, but also understands the meaning and emotion behind each and every phrase. In other words, they know how to enjoy themselves. At times, Tognetti might as well be moshing as the music animates his entire frame.
Upshaw then joined the orchestra to sing Osvaldo Golijov’s Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra – all deeply emotional and at times even anguished pieces of music. The beauty of Upshaw’s voice was of course undeniable, as was her ability to bring pathos and passion into the music. These songs reach into dark, mournful places and Upshaw’s control over her voice, while still expressing the mood of the songs and remaining in perfect unison with the orchestra, was nothing short of stunning.
After interval, Upshaw returned to sing five Hungarian folksongs by Bartók (arranged by Tognetti). These were intricate and subtle pieces, crossing a wide range of emotions. A last minute switch in the running order meant the set ended with the wild and playful ‘Hatforintos’ Nóta, allowing us to see Upshaw’s more mischievous side.
The ACO then took us back to Mozart and his Sinfonia Concertante – a majestic, uplifting and at times even humorous back-and-forth between Tognetti’s violin and Christopher Moore’s viola. Moore provided a calm, graceful contrast to the ever-energetic Tognetti, and each amazed with their precision and dexterity. But as engaging as it was to watch these two, their supporting players shouldn’t be overlooked. Each member of the orchestra supports each other, not only through their technical brilliance, but also through encouraging smiles and glances, not to mention unwavering concentration.
The evening concluded with Upshaw returning to sing Strauss’s Morgen!, another extremely atmospheric piece with moments of drama and beauty. Again, this piece evoked an introspective mood, but the final round of applause was still rapturously appreciative. This is Upshaw’s trump card – she doesn’t need to sing the crowd-pleasers to please the crowd.
Showing posts with label Canberra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canberra. Show all posts
Monday, 2 February 2009
Dawn Upshaw Review (Canberra)
Vincent Plush, The Australian, 2 February 2009
In September 2003, American soprano Dawn Upshaw strode onstage at the Brisbane Concert Hall with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. There was cheering before she had sung a note, and there were tears after her last.
After that single concert, Upshaw fell ill, her tour abandoned. Over the intervening years, she has performed with the ACO in North America and now she has returned for a national tour.
Their musical love affair continues today. Rarely does this level of empathy and affection manifest itself in performances of such celestial standard. Upshaw's angelic voice is pure, crystal clear, rapturous and every bit as enchanting as heard on her 50-plus recordings.
In a sense, the program was almost irrelevant. Upshaw could have sung wedding telegrams and utterly captivated her audience. Folk music launched this musical honeymoon, five quirky epigrams from Bartok, orchestrated by Richard Tognetti, and three touching songs from Osvaldo Golijov that moved beyond Luciano Berio's Folk Songs in their subtle simplicities.
Cat-gut strings and period horns and oboes ensured Mozart was in good form. A skittishly robust rendition of his 29th Symphony led to a similarly animated performance of the E flat Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola.
In this first glimpse of a new ACO recording project for the BIS label, Tognetti was joined by violist Christopher Moore. Their musical banter was beguiling and persuasive, but for the perilously fast tempo of the final movement.
Perth-based composer James Ledger provided Restless Night, the first of several commissions celebrating Tognetti's 20th year with the ACO. The piece groaned under the weight of too many ideas for its meagre six minutes, as Ledger's Bartok-like insect sounds were swatted by gratuitous rock rhythms.
The final work left the most enduring memory, with Upshaw returning to sing Richard Strauss's Morgen. In these few minutes, five years of absence were abundantly rewarded. I want this music at my funeral.
Pleasingly, Katherine Kemp's acutely perceptive notes in ACO programs are now available free and online.
While the acoustic of the refurbished Llewellyn Hall is bright and cheering, being there can be a trial: traffic jams in the aisles, inadequate foyer space and no water bubblers. And why is a centre aisle OK for graduations but not for concerts? A new national performing arts centre for Canberra's centenary in 2013 would be a very good thing, and the ACO should engage Upshaw immediately for their first performances there.
In September 2003, American soprano Dawn Upshaw strode onstage at the Brisbane Concert Hall with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. There was cheering before she had sung a note, and there were tears after her last.
After that single concert, Upshaw fell ill, her tour abandoned. Over the intervening years, she has performed with the ACO in North America and now she has returned for a national tour.
Their musical love affair continues today. Rarely does this level of empathy and affection manifest itself in performances of such celestial standard. Upshaw's angelic voice is pure, crystal clear, rapturous and every bit as enchanting as heard on her 50-plus recordings.
In a sense, the program was almost irrelevant. Upshaw could have sung wedding telegrams and utterly captivated her audience. Folk music launched this musical honeymoon, five quirky epigrams from Bartok, orchestrated by Richard Tognetti, and three touching songs from Osvaldo Golijov that moved beyond Luciano Berio's Folk Songs in their subtle simplicities.
Cat-gut strings and period horns and oboes ensured Mozart was in good form. A skittishly robust rendition of his 29th Symphony led to a similarly animated performance of the E flat Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola.
In this first glimpse of a new ACO recording project for the BIS label, Tognetti was joined by violist Christopher Moore. Their musical banter was beguiling and persuasive, but for the perilously fast tempo of the final movement.
Perth-based composer James Ledger provided Restless Night, the first of several commissions celebrating Tognetti's 20th year with the ACO. The piece groaned under the weight of too many ideas for its meagre six minutes, as Ledger's Bartok-like insect sounds were swatted by gratuitous rock rhythms.
The final work left the most enduring memory, with Upshaw returning to sing Richard Strauss's Morgen. In these few minutes, five years of absence were abundantly rewarded. I want this music at my funeral.
Pleasingly, Katherine Kemp's acutely perceptive notes in ACO programs are now available free and online.
While the acoustic of the refurbished Llewellyn Hall is bright and cheering, being there can be a trial: traffic jams in the aisles, inadequate foyer space and no water bubblers. And why is a centre aisle OK for graduations but not for concerts? A new national performing arts centre for Canberra's centenary in 2013 would be a very good thing, and the ACO should engage Upshaw immediately for their first performances there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)