(William
Charlton-Perkins. Pic by Clinton Marius)
Classics set to crackle and pop
Stand by for a ‘Sound and Light’
extravaganza at this weekend’s Last Night of the Proms concert, presented by
the British Cultural and Heritage Association in the Playhouse Opera on Sunday (August 5, 2018) at 15h00. Prommers can expect
a bonanza event which will crackle and pop with an exuberance of sing-alongs
set to go with a bang.
(Last
Night of the Proms)
Conductor Richard Cock leads the KZN
Philharmonic Orchestra, joined by the Durban Symphonic and Northwood Boys
Choirs, and a line-up of soloists, as they show their paces in a bumper
programme of favourites. Show-stopping items in the first half of the programme
include: Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach
Zarathustra, world famous as the soundtrack to the movie, Space Odyssey 2001; the main theme to
John William’s Star Wars soundtrack; Explosions Polka by Johann Strauss; the
mighty Anvil Chorus from Verdi’s Il Trovatore; Khachaturian’s dazzling Sabre Dance; the beautiful Sanctus from
Gounod’s Saint Cecilia Mass; Vivaldi’s Concerto in G; Lanchbery’s endearing
Clog Dance from the comic ballet, La
fille mal gardee; and the iconic River Dance hit, Reel Around the Sun.
Getting off on a high note, the second half
opens with the 2014 Commonwealth Games Theme. This will be followed by a
powerhouse line-up of show-stoppers, including: Dimutrescu’s Romanian Dance; Thunder and Lightning Polka by Johann Strauss; Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King; the Jewel Song from Gounod’s Faust; the thunderous finale to
Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture; and Proms evergreens, Jerusalem by Parry, Handel’s Hallelujah
Chorus and the jolly Sailors Hornpipe
in an arrangement by Alan Stephenson.
Baroque 2000 presents a Gypsy Baroque
concert and dinner featuring the Quebec (Canada) based Ensemble Caprice and
Baroque 2000 in a programme of original works from anonymous composers of the
Balkans, as sourced from the Oral Tradition Collection Uhrovska dated 1730.
Don’t miss this novel concert/dinner event which will be held at AmaZulu
Palace, 20 Windsor Road in Kloof on August 11 at 17h00. Seats are limited so
early booking is essential. Tickets are R480. For bookings and more details
contact Michel Schneuwly on 082 303 5241 or email sursouth@africa.com
(Minnesota
Orchestra prepares for South Africa tour. Photo credit: Travis)
And on a grander scale, Durban concert
goers have the rare opportunity of hearing a leading symphony orchestra of the
United States performing live in concert when the Grammy Award winning
Minnesota Orchestra appears on Sunday August 12 in the Durban City Hall at
17h00 during the second leg of its whistle stop national tour.
Performing under the baton of its Music
Director, the Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä, the Minnesota’s tour marks the
first-ever visit to South Africa by a professional US orchestra. Undertaken in
partnership with Classical Movements, one of the world’s leading specialist
cultural organisational bodies, the tour takes place in honour of the centenary
of Nelson Mandela. As part of its itinerary, the Minnesota will undertake
workshops and side-by-side rehearsals with various youth music groups around
the country, in Durban engaging with the KZN Youth Wind Band.
Repertoire to be performed during its
Durban concert will centre on Beethoven’s iconic Fifth Symphony. Other works
include, among others: Sibelius’s tone
poem, En Saga; a piece specially
commissioned as a tribute to Mandela by Classical Movements from South African
composer, Bongani Ndodana-Breen, titled Harmonia
Ubuntu, featuring soprano Goitsemang Oniccah Lehobye; and a surprise
package of other works with a strong South African flavour. Ticket prices range
from R100 to R600 and bookings can be done through Computicket at 0861 915 8000
or online at www.computicket.com/music. For more information, visit www.minnesotaorchestra.org/satour.
Finally, note that the KZN Philharmonic’s
four-concert Early Spring Season featuring a line-up of international guest
artists runs in the Durban City Hall every Thursday between August 23 and September
13, starting at 19h30. A detailed preview of the season will appear in the next
edition of this column on August 17. Season tickets and bookings for individual
concerts are through Computicket. For more information call 031-369 9438, email
bookings@kznphil.org.za or visit www.kznphil.org.za
- William Charlton-Perkins
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