Concert Review: A Baroque Christmas/ Australian Chamber Choir

A Baroque Christmas Australian Chamber Choir St Mary’s Cathedral Crypt, Sydney 24 November 2018 Christmas isn’t Christmas without certain musical essentials. Anything seasonal by Sir David Willcocks and J S Bach, the melodies of Martin Luther and Michael Praetorius and the contrasting aesthetics of Lutheran simplicity with Baroque complexity, represent a dimension of Christmas music…

Concert Review: The Overcoat, A Musical

The Overcoat Michael, Rosemarie and Constantine Costi, Belvoir Theatre Downstairs, 16 November 2018 Witten by Paul Bennett Re-imaging a classic from a Russian master such as Gogol can be a challenging and risky process especially when you add a change in format to the mix, but Constantine, Michael and Rosemarie Costi have delivered a fresh…

Ballet Review: Spartacus/ The Australian Ballet

Spartacus The Australian Ballet Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House 10 November, 2018 Written by Deen Hamaker Spartacus is perhaps the ultimate Soviet ballet, a spectacle of bravura dancing and athleticism, characterised by muscular gladiators and Roman soldiers executing stunning leaps and jumps. It is about as far from the romantic ‘white’ ballets as one…

CD Review: From The Hungry Waiting Country / Halcyon / Elliot Gyger

From the Hungry Waiting Country is a new release by Halcyon, performing the music of contemporary Australian composer, Elliot Gyger. Released on the Tall Poppies label, it contains three works by Gyger, Giving Voice (2012), Petit Testament (2008) and the cycle from which the disc takes its title, From the Hungry Waiting Country (2006). Halcyon’s…

Concert Review: Lixsania And The Labyrinth/ Australian Brandenburg Orchestra/ Lixsania Fernandez

Lixsania and the Labyrinth Lixsania Fernandez, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra City Recital Hall 31, October 2018 The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra is ever creative in its recruitment of solo musicians from around the world who bring with them a treasure trove of on unusual instruments. Courtesy of the ABO, Sydney fans have been thrilled by Israel’s Avi…

Concert Review: Seraphim Trio/ Haveron/ Cronin

Seraphim Trio Schubert, Schumann and Korngold Independent Theatre, North Sydney 28 October , 2018 Written by Victoria Watson The three core musicians of the Seraphim Quartet augmented their ensemble one by one after performing a piano trio, becoming a quartet and then quintet in this extraordinarily fine concert. Violinist Helen Ayres, cellist Timothy Nankervis and…

Concert Review: Drama/ The Metropolitan Orchestra

The Metropolitan Orchestra Drama Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Centre Sydney  27 October, 2018 Written by Victoria Watson The Metropolitan Orchestra (TMO) Sydney is celebrating ten years since its inception under founding artistic director Sarah-Grace Williams. TMO is an outstanding professional level orchestra privately funded and run that attracts excellent players across all sections. Williams galvanises…

Concert Review: Vocalise – Rachmaninoff And Poulenc/ Omega Ensemble/ Lee Abrahmsen

Vocalise – Rachmaninoff and Poulenc, Omega Ensemble with Lee Abrahmsen, soprano Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House 21 October, 2018 Soprano Lee Abrahmsen with pianist Maria Raspopova and clarinettist David Rowden, Co-Artistic Directors of Omega Ensemble, presented an engaging afternoon of all too rarely heard choicest Art Song in a vividly contrasting programme of songs by…