CLASSICAL NOTES

‘Messiah’ a must for music lovers and dance enthusiasts alike. (by William Charlton-Perkins)

Durban’s Friends of Music promise a fine listening experience at the Jewish Club on April 7 at 19h45, courtesy of the UK based Bach-Stern Duo. Violinist Emanuel Bach and pianist Jenny Stern will perform a generous programme of chamber music, featuring Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne, Franck’s Violin Sonata, Mozart’s Violin Sonata K454, Wieniawski’s Variations on an Original Theme, Debussy’s La Plus Que Lent, de Falla’s Danse Espagnole from La Vida Breve, and Satasate’s Caprice Basque.

South African-born pianist Jenny Stern is a visiting teacher at both Eton and the Royal College of Music. Her master-classes and concert accomplishments, as both soloist and chamber musician in the UK and abroad, include Dartington Summer School of Music and the London School of Economics Shaw Library Series. She has a special love of chamber music and is dedicated to bringing music to a wide cross section of people in the form of workshops and master-classes.

Emmanuel Bach, Stern’s son, has already distinguished himself as a solo violinist of note and shown a dedicated commitment and passion beyond his 16 years of age. He has won numerous awards for his playing. His Russian teacher Natasha Boyarski (Head of Strings at the Yehudi Menuhin School) has described him as a "musician with a unique individual gift that is a sign of true artistry". Not to be missed. Tickets cost R60 (FOM members) and R70 (non-members). Booking is through Computicket.

On a seasonal note, be sure to catch one of the Playhouse Company’s two performances of Messiah, either April 9 at 19h30 or on Easter Sunday, April 13, at 15h00. Soprano Hanli Stapela, mezzo soprano Violina Anguelov, tenor Bongani Tembe and bass-baritone Thami Zungu will head the distinguished vocal line-up for this big scale, semi-staged presentation of Handel’s choral masterpiece in the Opera Theatre. The Durban Symphonic Choir and the Playhouse Company Choral join forces with the KZN Philharmonic under the baton of Naum Rousine.

An unusual feature of this year’s staging is the participation of Durban’s Flatfoot Dance Company, who will interpret choreography workshopped by the dancers themselves with Lliane Loots. I called Loots to hear her take on her company’s participation. Loots concedes that Handel's music is so big and grand it posses some difficulties for a choreographer, adding that this is not music often associated with dance.

That said, she says Handel's music has long been part of her great love of Baroque music, “feeding a fascination with the spaces between the rhythms and melodies; the spaces that a choreographer likes best to inhabit. It offers an opportunity to create dance that rises up to the patterning of the music and that is, like Messiah, a great and glorious celebration of triumph over despair.” Loots has worked alongside six of her dancers who have all fed into the choreography, exploring the freedom accorded them by the production’s director Mark Hawkins, in twelve items from famous score.

This bold excursion into cultural ‘cross over’ is in keeping with Playhouse CEO Linda Bukhosini’s policy of encouraging cultural groups of different backgrounds to explore beyond each other’s artistic boundaries. Last year saw the Playhouse Company’s ground-breaking New Classics dance fusion commission, melding choreography by Desiré Davids that featured classically trained dancers alongside Zulu traditionalist guest performers, Omama Boxolo.

However, Bukhosini says that the music remains paramount in the forthcoming production of Messiah. She cites the work’s uplifting New Testament texts and Handel’s sublime music as an incentive for people of all persuasions to bond with each other, to put aside the aggressions that are prevalent right now, particularly with regard to political mud-slinging during the run-up to the imminent political elections. Messiah, says Bukhosini, creates a unique bridge over and above all this. “We encourage as many people who can do so to be part of this wonderful experience with us at The Playhouse next week.”

Booking for Messiah is through Computicket on 083 915 8000 or call Playhouse Box Office on0 31-369 9540 during office hours.