O FORTUNA! / CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA / The Joy Chorale & Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra / Review

O FORTUNA!

The Joy Chorale

Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra

Esplanade Concert Hall

Sunday (18 December 2016)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 20 December 2016 with the title "Seasonal cheer from a joyful chorale".

It is amazing how Carl Orff's Carmina Burana has become one of the most popular and performed of all choral works. Why performances of it have not been banned a long time ago remains a mystery. Its greatest indictment was that Nazis appropriated it as a glorification of German (read Aryan) peasantry and its racially “pure” values.

Then there are those Latin and antiquated German words extolling the joys of the tavern, feasting, drinking and underage sex. Not even meriting a M18 rating has its advantages. After all, how would one get all those children into the hall to sing lascivious lines like “Oh! Oh, Oh! I am bursting all over with love!”?

To present Carmina Burana as a Christmas-time concert was a coup, as the hall was well-filled with families and children, toting camera handphones and all ready for some seasonal cheer. The 170-strong Joy Chorale (Chorus Director: Khor Ai Ming), including 85 children's voices, was colourfully attired and in good voice. Accompanied by the Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra conducted by Adrian Tan, this was a visual and aural spectacular as much as those Mahlerian concerts that have come before.

The gauntlet was thrown in the first timpani thwack and the opening chorus O Fortuna, sung with much guts and gusto. The wheel of fortune, waxing and waning like the moon, had spun and Fate dealt its first hands. One might not expect the same polish as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Chorus' previous performances, but the raw energy exuded was equally palpable.

The larger congregation of women singers were in their element throughout, easily the best section of the choir. Men's voices are always in short supply, but they excelled in In Taberna Quando Sumus with its repeated “bibit” toasts. In Si Puer Cum Puellula (If A Boy With A Girl), what was needed were several shots of choral Viagra. The children barely kept their tune in Amor Volat Undique (Love Flies Everywhere), but looking cute and innocent was all that mattered.

Of the soloists, baritone Alvin Tan was a confident and bellowing Abbot of Cockaigne, of hearty voice even if his pronunciation was not always perfect. Opposite him, soprano Xi Wang maintained a virginal presence, comfortably conquering the high notes even in the climactic Dulcissime, with the most joyous loss of maidenhood in all music.

The cameo role afforded to tenor Melvin Tan as the roasted swan on a spit was well characterised. His agonised voice and demeanour, and attired in tribute to Björk's ludicrous swan costume, were alone worth the price of entry. There was even a terpsichorean role which dancer Rachel Lum obliged with no little grace.

Full lyrics and translations were provided both on screen and in the programme booklet, a luxury given the prohibitive copyright costs involved. Kelly Tang's orchestral showpiece Apocalypso in a virtuosic performance served as a excellent prelude, and Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You as encore provided a suitably festive send-off.  

LETTER TO JULIET / Bellepoque / Review

LETTER TO JULIET

Bellepoque

The Chamber @ The Arts House

Friday (3 October 2014)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 6 October 2014 with the title "Moving musical tribute to Shakespeare's women".

Letter To Juliet is a 80-minute play produced by local light musical theatre group Bellepoque in commemoration of William Shakespeare’s 450^th birth anniversary. It is in effect a tribute to the multi-faceted women who made the Bard’s plays so true-to-life and ultimately memorable.

The setting scripted and directed by Hemang Yadav involves literature teacher Hermione (played by Sherilyn Tan) who has a troubled relationship with her ambitious and insensitive husband Leo (Darren Guo), and writes Agony Aunt letters to Juliet Capulet of Verona, the Shakespearean heroine  who has been receiving such letters for centuries.

She addresses the issues of contemporary women and relates these with Shakespeare’s women as she lectures her class of students, which was the audience. Each letter introduces groups of operatic arias and duets, with a cast of five singers very capably accompanied by Vincent Chen on the piano.

It was perhaps unfortunate that the first heroine was Juliet herself, as young soprano Angela Cortez was overmatched by the waltz-song Je veux vivre from Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. Just getting around the coloratura notes was not quite enough, as it also needed to sound seemingly effortless, which was not the case.

Opposite her was a more believable Romeo, with Ah, leve toi soleil sung by tenor Melvin Tan, one of the land’s best bleeding heart tenors, who made every note and gesture count. Their duet O, Nuit Divine! was better balanced than anticipated and the mismatch much less obvious.  

The character of Lady Macbeth, love or loathe her, was all about ruthlessness and overarching ambition. She found a perfect protagonist in soprano Satsuki Nagatome, whose sheer depth of tone and emotion swept the field in Verdi’s Nel di della vittoria (from Macbeth) as she eyed the Scottish throne with her next nefarious plan. A woman’s hysteria provides an added dimension to the cold brutality already perfected by man. 

In two arias from Purcell’s The Fairy-Queen, adapted from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it was tenor Reuben Lai who stole the show as a smarmy, domineering male, towering over soprano Sabrina Zuber’s bit-part in the slender If Love’s a Sweet Passion. The aria from Handel’s Giulio Cesare, V’adoro, pupille, ably sung by Cortez, ironically had nothing to do with Shakespeare’s play on the same Roman emperor.

A Shakespearean heroine who evoked most sympathy was Desdemona, and this production telescoped scenes from Otello by both Rossini and Verdi. Verdi’s version is by far the better known, with its tender Ave Maria, here sung with much feeling by Nagatome. The final duet and murder scene with Lai’s Otello brandishing a dagger provided the most gripping moments of the evening.

To close Hermione ponders her next step with her wayward hubby, and drawing from the strengths of all the Shakespearean heroines, she does the unexpected. Forgiving the arrogant Leo would seem like a cop out in the age of women’s liberation, but her magnanimity is the quality that makes true love transcendent. It is all there in The Winter’s Tale. Shakespeare truly understood the hearts of men, and women. 

Photographs by the kind permission of Bellepoque.

MOZART'S DON GIOVANNI / Singapore Lyric Opera / Review

MOZART’S DON GIOVANNI
Singapore Lyric Opera
Esplanade Theatre
Saturday (25 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 27 February 2012 with the title "Don of a new age".

Considering that Don Giovanni is widely regarded as Mozart’s greatest opera, it comes as some surprise that the Singapore Lyric Opera had waited some 20 years to stage it. This may be due to the fact that there had been two previous productions in Singapore during the late 1980s and mid-1990s by groups from Britain and Hungary. This, the first featuring all Asian voices, however has much to recommend.

First, veteran director Tom Hawkes does not tamper with the story or setting as a tragicomedy and morality tale, instead allowing the relationships between the characters to be clearly defined. The two lead baritones, Song Kee Chang’s Don Giovanni and Huang Rong Hai’s Leporello, shared a marvellous chemistry together as master and serf (above). Huang’s comical mix of hero-worship and contempt for the Don was well characterised, as was Song’s nonchalant and callous way with women.

The excellent supporting cast was completely Singaporean, now achievable because a critical mass of experienced and young local opera singers exists today. Rising to the fore was soprano Cherylene Liew’s sympathetic portrayal of purity and goodness in the role of Zerlina (above). Her two arias Batti batti, Vedrai carino and the famous duet La ci darem la mano with the Don call to notice an impressive new talent.

But why was tenor Melvin Tan’s believable Don Ottavio denied his few minutes in the limelight of Il mio tesoro? Its excision to keep the show under three hours (the final curtain came down one minute before eleven) seemed cruel. He and relative veterans Nancy Yuen (Donna Anna), Yee Ee Ping (Donna Elvira), William Lim (The Commendatore), Martin Ng (Masetto) and the dependable SLO Orchestra conducted by Joshua Kangming Tan provided a firm bedrock to the proceedings.

Unlike the two previous productions which barely had sets to speak of, Christopher Chua’s backdrops were effective and simple, with an emphasis on stone that seemed to pre-empt the arrival of the stone guest for the final dinner scene. The Don’s fire and brimstone comeuppance, a rare scene with three low male voices (below) and an opportunity for special stage effects, however seemed a tad underwhelming.

With the unrepentant philanderer safely dispatched to Hades, the final sextet was a joyous denouement but was the descending image of a crucified Jesus Christ’s head appropriate? Surely this sent mixed signals about sin, recalcitrance and eternal damnation. Or had the Don made yet another one of his audacious escapes?

This production of Don Giovanni plays at Esplanade Theatre 8 pm this evening (Monday 27 February) and runs till tomorrow (Tuesday 28 February).

3 Best Classical Concerts of 2010

As published in The Straits Times on 29 December 2010, here are my picks for the 3 best classical concerts in Singapore for 2010. Indeed we were spoilt for choice, which is why I have included more than three top concerts. The true winners, however, are the lucky concert-goers who get to experience classical music as it should be performed - with unwavering commitment and passion.

Orchestral
MAHLER Resurrection Symphony
Orchestra of the Music Makers 

& Combined Choruses
10 July 2010, Esplanade Concert Hall

The Austrian composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) has been well-served in his anniversary year, with memorable performances of symphonies by the Singapore Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. Pride of place however goes to the young musicians of the Orchestra of Music Makers, joined by the Singapore and Queensland Festival Choruses, with their stupendous showing in Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony.

Conducted by Chan Tze Law, this blockbuster not only demonstrated an amazing maturity for the barely 2-year-old ensemble, but also a wealth of prodigious talent among the musicians, whose average age was 20-21 years old. The vocal soloists were locals too – mezzo-soprano Rebecca Chellappah and soprano Jeong AeRee – making this a truly Singaporean affair.

Besides being feted in the pages of The Straits Times, this concert also received high praise from music critics from Japan, Canada and UK.

Vocal / Choral
VERDI Requiem
Singapore Symphony Chorus 

& Combined Choruses
with Singapore Symphony Orchestra

17 April 2010, Esplanade Concert Hall

The Singapore Symphony Chorus marked its 30th year with one of the great masterpieces of the symphonic choral repertoire – Verdi’s Requiem with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra

These days, this venerable institution is augmented by voices from three other choirs, and the combined strength of 180-200 singers led by Lim Yau is a force to be reckoned with. The fearsome Dies Irae, delivered with awe-inspiring magnificence and with brass resonating from different parts of the hall, provided genuine spine-tingling moments that will remain long in the memory.

Honorable mention also go to The Philharmonic Chamber Chorus’ A Bridge Of Silk (18 September 2010 / Esplanade Recital Studio), an a cappella recital of contemporary Asian songs conducted by Lim Yau, and the superb artsong recital Night Songs by young tenor Melvin Tan (20 August 2010, Esplanade Recital Studio), accompanied by pianist Shane Thio, which showcased rarities by Korngold, Berg, Rachmaninov and Debussy.

Chamber Music
LIM HUI Violin Recital

  20 June 2010 

  Esplanade Recital Studio
TAKE 5 Chausson Concert

  1 September 2010 

  Esplanade Recital Studio
ZARA Schumann Fantasies

  28 November 2010 

  Esplanade Recital Studio

There was so much good chamber music on show that honours were evenly divided. Lim Hui, 2nd prize winner in the 2003 National Violin Competition, has blossomed to become a very fine virtuoso, one combining poise and purpose in her playing. Her demanding recital of Beethoven, Brahms, Pärt and Prokofiev, partnered by her cousin pianist Lim Yan, was a joy to behold.

Lim Yan and violinist Chan Yoong Han helmed their piano quintet Take 5 to give the Singapore premiere of Ernest Chausson’s Concert for violin, piano & string quartet, a monumental work of light, shade and overwrought emotions. A more passionate yet sensitive performance would be hard to find.

Zara is the international chamber group formed by former violin prodigy Tang Tee Khoon, playing on the National Arts Council’s 1750 J.B.Guadagnini violin. Their tribute to Robert Schumann and his circle was both moving and technically impeccable.

NIGHT SONGS / MELVIN TAN Vocal Recital / Review

NIGHT SONGS
Melvin Tan, Tenor
Shane Thio, Piano
Esplanade Recital Studio
Friday (20 August 2010)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 23 August 2010.

The long-held stereotype that tenors are brawny jocks and pretty brainless can beltos should be forever put to rest on the strength of this song recital. Melvin (note the spelling) Tan was a recent graduate of London’s Royal Academy of Music, and his return to Singapore to further his family’s wine distribution business, can only spell champagne days ahead for the local vocal music scene.

Seldom has a more intelligent and coherent art song programme been drawn, and delivered with a zest and panache that surpassed initial expectation. The idea of night’s mysterious charms is not a new one, but Tan had the audacity to omit the customary Schubert and Schumann Lieder to plump for all-20th century fare.

Beginning with Debussy’s Nuit d’Etoiles and Le Balcon, his expansive yet supple voice filled the hall, ringing with a bright bell-like lustre. With English translations of the French texts projected on the wall behind, it was easy to follow and relate to Tan’s multifarious expressions, which so indelibly shaded each chanson.

German was the principal language on show, with the two most familiar songs by Richard Strauss – Die Nacht and Allerseelen. The positive rarities were the Singapore premieres of Alban Berg’s Seven Early Songs and Wolfgang Erich Korngold’s Songs of Farewell (both composers below).

Alban Berg & Wolfgang Erich Korngold,
they look like brothers, don't they?

The former dates from 1907, before Berg’s emergence as a giant of atonal modernism. Here Wagner and Mahler’s tonalities are taken to the next level of ambiguity, but the emotions expressed remain vividly etched. Korngold is often credited for inspiring the genre of Hollywood film music, and Tan’s take on his four best-known songs were memorable for the warmth and nostalgia engendered.

Russian romances were represented by Rachmaninov's Six Songs Op.38, where Tan reveled in their melancholy and dark emotions. In Krysolov (The Pied Piper), his sense of comedic timing was infectious, while pianist Shane Thio’s mastery of the intricate and demanding piano parts was admirable.

Their guests, Hong Kong soprano Colette Lam with pianist Miranda Ong, were also excellent in two Debussy songs and Poulenc’s Banalités. Lam’s faultless vocal control and wide range came close to stealing the show. No matter, both singers were united in Noel Coward’s I’ll See You Again, culminating in an intimate waltz together, a delightful way to say goodbye.

Transcendent Love / Vocal Recital by MELVIN TAN / Review

TRANSCENDENT LOVE
MELVIN TAN Vocal Recital

with Shane Thio, Piano
Esplanade Recital Studio
Saturday (29 August 2009)

An edited version of this review was published in The Straits Times on 31 August 2009.

Tenor recitals in Singapore are infrequent events, and one centred wholly on English art song is a positive rarity. English-trained tenor Melvin Tan, who will be joining Flanders Opera (Belgium), gave listeners more accustomed to German Lieder and Italian opera a taste of what they have been missing.

Virtually every work on this ground-breaking programme was a Singapore premiere. Benjamin Britten’s Canticles, written for his companion Peter Pears, focused on varied aspects of love. Three of these provided Tan (above), with thespian skills as commanding as vocal ones, much scope for expression.

The first, My Beloved Is Mine, repeats a variation of “he is mine” at the end of each strophe, reiterating the relationship between man and God. Tan’s clear and sonorous lines, dressed with sustained and dazzling melismata were a pleasure to behold. The second, Abraham and Isaac, was a melodrama for two voices, with mezzo-soprano Anna Koor sharing the limelight. Here, the love of a father for his son, in conflict with faith in God, provided the dramatic tussles until Deus ex machina, God’s hand of intervention allowed for a harmonious denouement.

The fifth Canticle, The Death of St. Narcissus was also the most haunting. Fontane Liang’s harp was sensuous soothing counterpoint that lulled the eponymous god to his demise. These and the W.H.Auden-inspired cycle On This Island showcased Tan’s wide-ranging moods and emotions, from sober contemplation, through subtle humour to wild ecstatic climaxes.

Veteran collaborative pianist Shane Thio (left) was a most sensitive and imaginative partner. Together with a string quartet comprising violinists Grace Lee and Loke Hoe Yong, violist Marietta Ku and cellist Lin Juan, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ greatest song cycle On Wenlock Edge (1909) was launched.

Going beyond mere pastoral musings, its six songs probed various vistas of existence, coloured by a foreboding of the cataclysm to come. Tan was in his element, as vivid a storyteller as a singer could possibly be. The piano quintet partnership gave close to perfect support, their impressionistic colours, especially in the bell-echoes of Bredon Hill, revealed Vaughan Williams’ debt to Ravel.

Not all the works were this serious. Anna Koor (left) provided light relief with three English folksong settings (The Salley Gardens, The Ash Grove and Oliver Cromwell) by Britten, and Tan finally let his hair down in the encores by Noel Coward (Mad Dogs and Englishmen, A Room With A View in duet with Koor) and Dick Lee’s Bunga Sayang. A total charmer.