One more chance to relive those movie tunes of the past
View(s):The Symphony Orchestra will have a repeat performance of ‘Music from the Movies’ on October 5 at the Ladies College Hall at 7 p.m. For those who missed the first performance, on September 7, this is a wonderful opportunity to relive those old movie tunes of the past.
For me, the music of the evening came from two beloved movies ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Mamma Mia’, or more accurately the music of ABBA.
The music from The Sound of Music, mainly from the 1965 film version, include The Lonely Goatherd, My Favourite Things, Sixteen going on Seventeen, So long farewell, the famous Do-Re-mi, Edelweiss, Maria, Climb ev’ry Mountain and The Sound of Music, which set not the hills alive, but the Ladies’ College stage alive.
Then the ABBA or Mamma Mia collection was astounding with I have a dream, Mamma Mia, Super Trouper, Chiquitita, Voulez vous, The Winner takes it all and Dancing Queen, though the singer seemed to miss the second line of Chiquitita and sing perhaps from the second verse instead. It’s somewhat surprising that artistes nowadays ignore the song that brought ABBA fame at the Eurovision song contest in 1974, ‘Waterloo’.
To complete the night there was the Mission Impossible theme, a suite from Chicago:The musical Star Wars theme, the James Bond collection, Gladiator, and Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a night to remember with outstanding vocal performances by Ashanti de Alwis, Devashrie de Silva, Amandhi Caldera and Thivanthi Perera. Ramya de Livera performed her solo piano performance of the night and the only female conductor in Sri Lanka, Dushyanthi Perera, did an excellent job. The Ladies’ College Choir featured in The Sound of Music and ABBA collection.
The concert was the brainchild of the ever energetic Chairperson of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka, Sharmini Wettimuny. It was a benefit for Ladies’ College, which has been the home of the orchestra for the past 50 years.
T.H.