Unlikely partner creates an ideal tension – The Song Company ‘Tears of St Peter’

The Tears of St Peter The Song Company, Artistic Director Roland Peelman, Satsuki Odamura, koto, The crypt of St Mary’s Cathedral, Monday April 2nd 8 pm. At first, it seemed incongruous to include the Japanese koto in The Song Company’s present programme of Orlando di Lasso’s Lagrime di San Pietro (The Tears of Peter) performed in…

Behzod Abduraimov

Read the SMH review of 21 year pianist Behzod Abduraimov’s City Recital Hall concert: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/past-master-can-draw-on-exuberance-of-youth-20120327-1vweb.html

La Traviata – the verdicts are rolling in

The highly anticipated production of La Traviata staged on Sydney harbour opened on Saturday night. This production has polarised opera lovers. Without doubt the performances are superlative and the concept of an open-air opera with the spectacle of Sydney harbour as a backdrop is irresistible. As to whether it is ‘opera’ – the verdicts on that proposition are rolling in. As pure entertainment…

‘Messiah’ at St James’ King Street: a listener’s perspective

  Whatever the diet of musicians in Handel’s time, his performers must certainly have had tremendous stamina. ‘Messiah’ as Handel intended, for a chamber sized ensemble is a massive test of endurance, requiring a technique that supports the power of the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’, the coloratura of ‘All we like sheep’ and the hushed sostenuto of ‘Since by man came death’. After all this comes the mighty…

The Australia Ensemble reviewed

Peter McCallum reviews the Australia Ensemble for the Sydney Morning Herald. (Even the SMH makes typos!) http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/review/gig/australia-ensemlbe-20120318-1vdnw.html

Seduced by the song company in La Serenissima

  The Song Company Love in Venice The City Recital Hall, Sydney Wednesday March 14th 2012 The contemporary relevance of 16th century European music is ever real.  Roland Peelman, Artistic Director of The Song Company proved this when he chose 9 madrigals composed between 1603 and 1619, from Claudio Monteverdi’s vast oeuvre, and paired them with the highly theatrical…

The ‘new’ Australian String Quartet reviewed….

The new look Australian String Quartet has launched its 2012 season in its home city of Adelaide. Graham Strahle reviews their concert for The Australian. They perform in Sydney on March 15th at the City Recital Hall. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/big-things-ahead-for-new-look-australian-string-quartet/story-fncihiro-1226293598264

Tafelmusik reviewed….

  Peter McCallum reviews Tafelmusik for the Sydney Morning Herald. Tafelmusik repeat their concert at the City Recital Hall on Saturday March 10th at 2 pm. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/spirited-delight-of-ancient-analogy-between-music-and-cosmos-20120306-1ui98.html