We all left the hall with a song in our hearts
In performance: Hanyin Xue (tenor), Kishani Jayasinghe (soprano) and David Gowland on piano. Pix by Ishanka Sunimal
Fairways Holdings and East India Holdings presented The Colombo Opera Festival Gala Concert on November 6 at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, in partnership with the Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artists Programme.
It featured Monika Evelin Liiv (mezzo-soprano), Hanyin Xue (tenor), Krystoff Szumanski (baritone) and Kishani Jayasinghe (soprano), accompanied by David Gowland on the piano with musicians from the Krasna Ensemble led by Ananda Dabare joining in the second half of the concert.
They performed a variety of vocal extracts from the Grand Operatic repertoire, while in the second half, they presented items from Broadway and the popular repertoire with a few more gems from the realm of Grand Opera.
Monika-Evelin Liiv (Estonia)-Mezzo Soprano graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2007 and continued her studies at the Lithuanian Music Academy (the singing class of Sigutė Stonyt) and attended the Mariinsky Theatre Young Singers Summer Academy in Mikkeli (2005). She was a Jette Parker Young Artist for The Royal Opera 2007–9.
The concert started with the well-known Quartet from Verdi’s Rigoletto “Bella figlia dell’amore” (Beautiful daughter of love) from Act 3 of Verdi’s 1851 opera Rigoletto, that has been described as a “masterful quartet -an intricate musical depiction of four personalities and their overlapping agendas”.
This was followed by a baritone solo from Wagner’s Tannhauser. “O du mein holder Abensten” – (oh, my gracious evening star) – one of the best-known baritone arias ever written. “Tannhäuser and the Minnesingers Contest at Wartburg” is an 1845 opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, based on two German legends: Tannhäuser, the legendary medieval German Minnesänger and poet, and the tale of the Wartburg Song Contest.
The third item was from Puccini’s La Boheme Act 1, the tenor aria for Rudolfo, “Che gelida manina,”-(your tiny hand is frozen) sung by Haoyin Xue, followed by “Mi chiamano Mimì” sung by Kishani Jayasinghe. Kishani’s voice and her acting were brilliant throughout.
The fourth item was Santhusa’s Aria “Voi lo sapete” (You well know) from “Cavalleri Rusticana” by Masca-gni sung by the mezzo-soprano, Monika-Evelin Liiv.
Following on this was a duet, once more from Puccini’s La Boheme, from the last act sung in the opera by the two leading men Rudolfo (tenor) and Marcello (baritone). “O Mimì, tu più non torni” – (O Mimì, will you not return?). Haoyin and Krzysztof did the honours here.
The scene for the next soprano aria is set in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). The aria “Comme autrefois dans la nuit sombre” –(As before in the dark night) from Bizet’s Pearl Fishers was sung by Kishani as Leila, the temple priestess of Brahma.
Then followed the ever-popular melody from Tales of Hoffman s “Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour” (often referred to as the “Barcarolle”), a piece from Jacques Offenbach’s final opera. A duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano, it is considered the most famous barcarolle ever written and is described in the Grove Book of Operas as “one of the world’s most popular melodies”. The text, concerning the beauty of the night and of love, is by Jules Barbier. It was sung by the soprano and the alto.
Before the intermission we were treated to another gem from the pen of Puccini, his “Nessun dorma” (None shall sleep). It is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung in the opera by Calaf, il principe ignoto (the unknown prince). In this interpretation all four soloists joined in to conclude an enjoyable first session of excerpts from Grand Opera.
The second half, which consisted of a mix of Broadway and popular repertoire, with a few more arias from Grand Opera began with the ever popular “Somewhere over the Rainbow” sung by Kishani Jayasinghe. Musicians from the Krasna Ensemble led by Ananda Dabare now joined the pianist David Gowland for the rest of the programme.
“Over the Rainbow” composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz and was sung by actress Judy Garland in her starring role as Dorothy Gale. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Then followed “Some Enchanted Evening” from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, sung by the baritone Krzysztof Szumanski and “Memory” from the 1981 musical “Cats” sung by the mezzo-soprano Monika-Evelin Liiv.
One of the most popular tenor arias from all Grand Opera is “La donna è mobile”- (Woman is fickle), the Duke of Mantua’s canzone from the beginning of act 3 of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Rigoletto (1851), famous as a showcase for tenors. The tenor gave an excellent rendition of it to loud applause.
Kishani then sang “I could have danced all night” from the musical My Fair Lady, with music written by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, while the mezzo-soprano then sang “It’s time to say good-bye”. “Con te partirò” (With you I shall leave), an Italian song written by Francesco Sartori (music) and Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics).
Operetta was represented by the Waltz from the “Merry Widow” by Franz Lehar. This is…played and sung everywhere…in every culture…in every clime: The soloists, soprano and baritone, not only sang but danced the waltz.
All four singers exhibited their professionalism by joining together to sing the Sinhala song “Kimada naawe”, having practised it only during the three days after they arrived. Their diction was near perfect and was widely acclaimed. They came together once again to sing “Maria” from West Side Story rendering their own version of this popular ballad to bring the show to a close.
The audience gave them a standing ovation, to which they responded by singing the “Drinking Song” from La Traviata. Libiamo ne’lieti calici is the most famous duet from Verdi’s “La Traviata”, one of the most well known fragments of opera around the world. The other soloists joined to provide the chorus, which brought the house down.
Thanks to all those involved in the presentation. The background of the stage was most suitably altered for each and every item by some superb backdrops, very elegantly provided to give the final finish to the night of Opera and Music.
Those who came to listen went home with a song in their hearts.
Doctor Lalith