UNREQUITED LOVE / Singapore Lyric Opera Gala Concert 2017 / Review

GALA CONCERT 2017:

UNREQUITED LOVE

Singapore Lyric Opera

Esplanade Concert Hall

Thursday (23 November 2017)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 27 November 2017 with the title "Brave, bold, brilliant".

This year's annual gala concert by the Singapore Lyric Opera provided a glimpse of the future of opera in Singapore. None of the usual SLO suspects featured in this evening of operatic highlights, instead the company boldly rolled out a cast of mostly debutants. Winners of the SLO-Asean Vocal Competition 2016 and SLO-Leow Siak Fah Artists Training Programme Rising Stars accounted for seven new voices among nine singers.

The repertoire choice also had a fresh ring about it, with not a single note of Puccini to be heard. Two very demanding Handel arias opened the evening, with the Competition's 1st prize winner mezzo-soprano Samantha Chong Ying Zing (from Malaysia) doing the honours in Dopo notte from Ariodante.

She had certainly earned that accolade, with a performance of clarity and depth of feeling. In Parto, ma tu ben mio from Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, she upped the ante, and was not upstaged by the SLO Orchestra's excellent clarinettist Vincent Goh whose obbligato part was just as delicious.

Arguably more spectacular was the 2^nd prize winner soprano Pham Khanh Ngoc (Vietnam) who made light work of Handel's Tornami a vagheggiar from Alcina, and displayed gravity-defying coloratura abilities in Rossini's Bel raggio lusinghier from Semiramide. That last aria was, to these ears and eyes, the loftiest of many high points in the evening.

Singaporean baritone Alvin Tan, who garnered 3^rd prize, was very impressive too, warming up Korngold's Mein sehnen mein Wahnen (Die Tote Stadt) with a rich and burnished tonal colour. This suggests he will have many roles to fulfill in the near future.

The company's artist training programme named in memory of founding chairman Leow Siak Fah which mentors locally-based singers has also borne fruit. Five singers, sopranos Zhang Jie (China) and Cherie Tse (Singapore), mezzo-sopranos Chieko Sato (Japan) and Zerlina Tan (Singapore) and tenor Leslie Tay (Singapore) were involved in ensemble roles from Bizet's Carmen (Act 3) and Mozart's Cosi fan tutte (Act 1).   

The SLO Chorus and Children's Choir livened up the proceedings with choruses from Carmen (Les voici), Cosi fan tutte (Bella vita militar) and Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel (Evening Prayer). It must be said the children did well in the last chorus, despite singing well past their bedtime. The orchestra conducted by Jason Lai (above) played an excellent supporting role throughout, and had the bubbly Overture to Mozart's The Marriage Of Figaro all to itself.  

As a sneak preview to next year's production of Verdi's Aida, two favourite arias were trotted out by two more experienced singers making cameo appearances. Tenor Kee Loi Seng portrayed the heroic Radames in Celeste Aida while soprano Jessica Chen was spine-tingling in Ritorna vincitor.

The evening closed memorably with Gloria al l'Egitto (the Triumphal March) with choir and orchestra. There was no Brindisi (Drinking Song from La Traviata) as encore this time around, but it was stirring all the same.  

JOY / Singapore Lyric Opera Children's Choir / Review

JOY
Singapore Lyric Opera Choruses
Esplanade Concert Hall
Friday (10 December 2010)

It is no secret that children’s choirs attract the biggest audiences, more so during the Yuletide season. The Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) has leveraged on this to make its annual Christmas choral concert a popular family affair. Conducted by Khor Ai Ming and Cherylene Liew, the SLO Children’s Choir put on yet another heartrending show, ably supported by its older peers the SLO Youth and Opera Choirs.

The 2-hour long fare began with a processional, as the children smartly dressed in street clothes singing the ancient hymn O Come, Emmanuel as they trooped centrestage. The two opposing groups produced an even unison in their separate chants, and harmonised well for the chorus.

Individual members had moments to shine in solo parts. Trebles Harry Mills and Matthew Bailey were paradigms of clarity and innocence in Cesar Franck’s Panis Angelicus. There was even a barking and yelping canine semi-chorus for The 12 Dogs Of Christmas, a cheeky play on the popular song, with “five golden retrievers” and a “schnauzer with a goatee”.

In Pie Jesu from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem, the solo voice was replaced by grouped singers without losing its poignancy. As a conglomerate, the choir crafted a big expansive sound for Adolphe Adam’s O Holy Night. The older singers remained for John Rutter’s The Lord Bless And Keep You and All Things Bright And Beautiful, the latter with a short cameo from veteran operatic baritone William Lim.

The second half had a more rhythmic feel. The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy was given a calypso twist while The Little Drummer Boy took on a bolero beat, aided by the very steady piano accompanist Bertrand Lee. Flautist Sin Jin How joined in Pavane For A Silent Night, which speeded and cheered up Ravel’s sedate classic.

Just to illustrate the variety of songs sung, Mykola Leontovich’s Carol Of The Bells rejoiced in the frisson of tintinnabulation, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Happy Xmas subtly sounded an anti-war protest and David Meece’s We Are The Reason proselytised on an openly evangelical platform.

Tama Goh’s drums and Tony Makarome’s bass ensured a funky end with a jazzed up and soul-infused Hallelujah Chorus. There was a half-hearted attempt at an audience sing-along and clap-along, but it mattered little. That unmistakable seasonal spirit of cheer had already arrived.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC / Singapore Lyric Opera Children's and Youth Choir / Review

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s & Youth Choir

Khor Ai Ming, Conductor

Esplanade Concert Hall

Last Saturday (3 July 2010)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 5 July 2010.

Singapore is fortunate to have two high profile children’s choirs which perform regularly. Like the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir (SSCC) which celebrated its 4^th anniversary recently, the Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir (SLOCC) was formed during the same time. However its repertoire is vastly different, focussing mostly on stage and theatre music, with added elements of movement and simple choreography.

The Sound Of Music showcased popular stage tunes, opening with a medley from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s hit musical. Catchy and familiar, this music will never age, even if it is as simple as ABC, or Do Re Mi, as the children’s song goes. The choir performed it with much charm, both in unison passages and with non-complex harmonies.

Unlike the SSCC, the SLOCC performed with scores, which required the use of cumbersome music stands. The constant need to adjust standing positions before each setting proved to be a minor distraction, but for a concert lasting over two hours conducted by Khor Ai Ming (below), it was probably necessary.

The aural candy continued with selections from Oliver!, Les Miserables and Cats for the first half. The choir was joined by 20 young violinists from CHIJ Kellock Primary School’s Wolfgang Violin Programme, performing the Prayer from German composer Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera Hansel And Gretel. Needless to say, it was pretty sight.

Without neglecting its original mission, eight singers was picked to sing operatic numbers, from Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann and Mozart’s The Magic Flute, both in the original languages of French and German. Humour was on the cards when the choir took on the Papageno and Papagena Duet (Magic Flute) and Rossini’s Cat Duet, drawing howls of laughter from the audience.

As with SSCC, SLOCC has a paucity of boy singers. However the five strapping teenagers from the Youth Choir acquitted themselves well in Younger Than Springtime and Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific. Some of them are ready to appear in SLO’s main productions.

The evening closed with Bernstein’s West Side Story, and delicious oldies such as Lollipop and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. In the latter, the choir sang from memory. Freed from the printed score, showmanship took over, delighting more than a few proud parents in the audience.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year / Singapore Lyric Opera Choruses / Review

IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
Singapore Lyric Opera Choruses
Esplanade Concert Hall
Saturday (12 December 2009)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 14 December 2009.

You know its Yuletide season when children’s and youth choirs come out in full force. The Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) has three such choruses, numbering just over a hundred, and what a treat they served in a packed Esplanade Concert Hall.

Andy Williams’ eponymous classic It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year opened the proceedings, showcasing even unison singing and simple harmonies. A staggering 29 other songs followed, varied and totally apt for the festivities. The arrangements of Pachelbel’s Canon in D and Bach’s Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring had famous melodies but unfamiliar words. No worries as these came through well despite some hesitant accompaniment from organist Evelyn Lim.

Far more confident was pianist Pang Siu Yuin and harpist Jana Ang Friesova, whose jobs made the listener concentrate on the singers themselves. The solos were lovely in their innocence and vocal projection, such as little Ong Jean Wei in Howard Blake’s Walking In The Air from The Snowman, and the threesome that lit up John Rutter’s For The Beauty Of The Earth.

Most credit should go to conductor Khor Ai Ming (left) whose exactitude ensured that the polyphony, echo effects and syncopations were spot on in three excerpts from Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony Of Carols. She was ably assisted by Cherylene Liew, whose cherry red gown matched the radiance of her solo in Adolphe Adam’s O Holy Night. The young adults of the SLO Chorus joyfully sang the Bell Chorus from Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci, but was plagued by a perennial issue – shortage of male voices. May their Christmas wish of more tenors and basses come true.

The second half was slightly lighter, with pop and gospel elements coming into the fore. There was a stir of recognition in the American Idol audition favourite You Raise Me Up, the old-time hymn Let There Be Peace On Earth and You’ll Never Walk Alone from Carousel. Two numbers from Whoopi Goldberg’s Sister Act (left) drew spontaneous clapping and foot-tapping from the audience.

There was the usual audience sing-along for the medley Seasons Greetings and Rutter’s All Things Bright And Beautiful. If these combined voices did not usher in a feeling of warmth and fuzziness, one might as well be named Ebenezer Scrooge.

Singapore Lyric Opera Children's Choir: THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC / Review

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC
Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir
Khor Ai Ming & Cherylene Liew, Conductors
Lim Yan, Piano
Esplanade Recital Studio
Saturday (8 August 2009)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 10 August 2009.

This reviewer confesses that a children’s concert would have fallen off the radar if not for having a seven-year-old in tow. Writing as a parent of a somewhat artistic kid, there can be no greater joy than witnessing children sharing their talents, musical or otherwise, even if the standards are not up to scratch.

Thankfully, the Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Chorus is totally capable of holding its own. Comprising mostly girls (there were only five boys), the 46-strong ensemble entertained with a 90-minute-long potpourri of songs from around the world.

Whether in original score or arrangements, the short works had grateful unison passages, which were carried with much clarity and largely in pitch. The simple harmonisations, as in John Leavitt’s Cantate!, the traditional Irish air Danny Boy and Australian Waltzing Matilda, were also handled by the choir with much ease.

Opportunities for solo and small ensemble singing arose, and were reciprocated with confidence. The trio of boys in The Yellow Rose of Texas, the sextet in a choreographed Honey Bun from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific and the 18-member sub-chorus in Zoltan Kodaly’s Evening Song had their moments under the spotlight.

Asian songs dominated the second half of the evening, beginning with Bengawan Solo and Lenggang Kangkong / Rasa Sayang in Zechariah Goh Toh Chai’s deft transcription. Four harpists provided accompaniment to Dick Lee’s Bunga Sayang (from Kampong Amber), which made for quite a sight.

The diminutive Tan Rong Ting lovingly sang the solo for the Jiangsu folksong Mo Li Hua, which could have done with added amplification, although none was needed for the rousing Japanese marching song Utae Ban Ban. Had the chorus memorised the lyrics for the Abba medley of Mamma Mia!, Thank You For The Music, Dancing Queen and I Have A Dream, and gone for groovy moves, it would have been perfect.

A healthy dose of poignancy tinged the encores, with the late-lamented Michael Jackson’s We Are The World and the National Day Parade favourite, Dick Lee’s Home. Veteran conductor Paul Abisheganaden once had a dream, that Singapore would become a singing nation. These small steps, made by young people like the SLO Children’s Choir, are surely taking us there.