The Brisbane Festival 2013
Verdi in the Park
Verdi in the Park
Saturday 21st September.
On the bank of the Brisbane River, in the Botanical Gardens and under the stars thousands were treated to a glorious evening of music by The Queensland Opera and The Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Above is the stage in front of thousands on the grass up the slopes but unfortunately there where several annoying kids right at the front of the stage who yelled, ran and danced around while the singers were trying to create moods and beautiful music. A family evening to me is one where children are given the chance to experience something new not be let run wild to distract both performers and audience. The professional singers and musicians soldiered on but it must have been difficult.
Celebrating of the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s
birth, renowned soprano Cheryl Barker and fabulous young tenor Kang Wang, Emily Burke, Douglas
McNicol, David Hibbard and the famously mighty Opera Queensland Chorus gave a passionate
concert performance conducted by Simon Kenway.
Watch out World
Kang Wang is on the way!
Tenor Kang Wang whom I saw last year at the Queensland Conservatorium in The Rake's Progress was born in Harbin, China to parents who are
both opera singers. As a student at The Conservatorium he worked under Mr
Joseph Ward OBE and was the "People's Choice" of the Dame Joan
Sutherland National Vocal Award 2010 and one of the five finalists of the
Australian Singing Competition 2010. A favourite amongst Brisbane audiences and me for his leading roles in several operas at the Conservatorium. This youthful tenor was the star of the evening. Set against a bunch of professional and seasoned singers Kang as usual drew the attention and huge reaction of the audience.
He is due to launch a huge career like so many that have graduated from the Concervatorium here. It has an unusually high rate of world stars emerging from its stages under the guidance if some of the phenomenal teaching staff over the years like Lisa Gasteen, Margreta Elkins, Donald Smith, Janet Delpratt.
Twenty one arias, duets, quartets, choruses and orchestral pieces made up the two and three quarter hour evening. La Forza del destino - La Traviata - Unballo in maschera - Ernani - Rigoletto - Il travatore - Nabucco - Otello - Aida. It was a treat. Douglas Mc Nicol's 'Credo' from Verdi's Otello had me screaming Bravo this was exciting as I will see him sing Iago on stage in Otello next month. Also the the Quartet from Rigoletto has sung with such absolutely sublime perfection I found myself yelling yet again.
