A
warm tone, clear enunciation, a confident volume, a pulsating resonance and
strength - these characteristics define I Grandi Tenori. (Review by Dr Martin
Goldstein)
The final Friends of Music concert of this
year, which took place on December 17, 2019, comprised a Christmas Music
Extravaganza featuring I Grandi Tenori, Le Canta Rose (sopranos Dorh Mfayela,
Avuya Ngcaweni and Sanele Mavundla and mezzo-soprano Bulelwa Msane), Phindile
Cele (mezzo-soprano), Mbali Zondi (soprano), Sbani Mwelase (baritone), Ruben
Mbonambi (bass) and Sanele Mkhize (accompanist).
I Grandi Tenori, comprising two of our
province’s finest tenors, Kananelo Sehau and Mlindi Pato, is a highly
commendable venture which empowers and uplifts talented vocalists. They, in
turn, are most grateful for the generous support they receive from their
alliance partners, namely KZN DAC, KZN DoE, eThekwini Municipality, ILAF, Diemersfontein
Wine Estate and Kumisa.
The opening number, The Lord’s Prayer, featuring I Grandi Tenori and Phindile Cele (soprano),
was one of the highlights of the concert. The accompanist, Sanele Mkize, is
self-taught and has a fine, gentle touch and a sympathetic approach to
accompanying. A suitably slow tempo was chosen and the mood was sincere.
Panis
Angelicus, sung by Kananelo, was truly beautiful. Where Ever You Walk, performed by Sbani
Mwelase (baritone), was heartfelt. Nella
Fantasia, performed by Le Canta Rose, featured beautifully soaring voices. How Beautiful are the Feet, performed by
Phindile Cele (soprano), was truly lovely.
Core’
Ngrato, performed by I Grandi Tenori, was imbued
with a warm tone, clear enunciation, a confident volume, a pulsating resonance
and strength. These characteristics define I Grandi Tenori. Infelice!...e tuo credevi, performed by
Ruben Mbonambi (bass), displayed the great depth of his voice. One sensed that
he was reflecting on the narrative and conveying the underlying emotion
accordingly.
Amor
ti vieta, performed by Mlindi, saw him performing
at a higher pitch than his usual range. His performance was characterized by a
very pure sound quality. The Prayer,
performed by Mbali and Kananelo, was invested with much feeling. Both vocalists
were in tune with each other and produced a lovely duet together.
In Oh
Danny Boy, one sensed that Sbani was truly communicating as opposed to
merely performing. You’ll Never Walk
Alone, performed by Dorh and Mlindi, featured a good ensemble with natural
dance moves and a pleasing alternation between English and Zulu.
In Lagrimas
Mias, performed by Avuya, the sound was just right - cultivated but not too
much so. In Nessun Dorma, performed
by I Grandi Tenori, the juxtaposition of entries was well-judged, both in terms
of volume and tone.
The first four items after interval were
performed by I Grandi Tenori.
In Oh
Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel, Kananelo showed that he was a good leader. Mlindi
maintained restraint and produced good contrasts without being too extreme. The
performance featured lovely trembling pianissimos. In What Child is This, the performance grew dynamically and had a good
forward drive. In We Three Kings, the
performance was rhythmically very together. Mlindi displayed a richness of tone
and Kananelo displayed attention to the enunciation of the syllables. In Away in a Manger, the two revealed their
full strength and worked together as an ensemble to convey an understanding of
the narrative.
Oh
Holy Night, performed by Le Canta Rose, was
heartfelt and evidenced a sincere belief. The mezzo-soprano, Msane, added her
special touch.
The rest of the programme was performed by
an ensemble of all of the vocalists. In Silent
Night, the performance had a relaxed tempo and a tranquil air. Angels We Have Heard on High was
characterised by jovial playfulness and a lovely bounciness. There was some
beautiful counterpoint. Hark the Herald
Angels Sing had an optimistic air and was heartfelt. Oh Come All Ye Faithful was marked by much sincerity. The chords
were shaped with skill and there were excellent canonic responses and a
committed “attack”. In this work, Mlindi really came to the fore.
The final work of the programme, Joy to the World was marked by an
emphatic “stomp”. Le Canta Rose kept things frothing.
The encore, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, was a suitably joyful end to the
concert and brought the house down with a staggering volume and sentiment of
goodwill for the coming year. – Dr Martin Goldstein
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