Max Emanuel Cencic

12 and 13th April 2015

Concert Hall QPAC
Brisbane Baroque Festival

Joy to the world. This is me below being so happy meeting Max Emanuel Cencic on Sunday evening after the most stunning concert of the music of Johann Adolph Hasse he gave us with the remarkably brilliant Camerata of St. John's. under the direction of the quite astounding lead violin Brendan Joyce. 

 The reviews as expected were universally glowing in praise of the superstar Max and the exquisite chamber orchestra that is a treasure of this city of Brisbane. I was so thrilled to see live and be up front to experience the beauty, control, range and power of my favourite voice in the world. 

I am right down the front.

After the concert I managed to meet Max as you can see and I was so obviously pleased. As if that was not enough I returned to the Concert Hall the following day to once again sit dead centre front row while Max engaged in an hour long converstion with classical music guru and radio/TV presenter Christopher Lawrence. There have been questions in my mind for a long time about details of Max's career and he managed to mention every one I had thought about including confirming that he had visited Brisbane and this hall 25 years ago when he was in the Vienna Boys Choir. Thank you Max for singing for me and I guess the other couple of thousand people.

Me meeting Max.

A great review note by note of the concert

http://www.thecultureconcept.com/circle/max-cencic-at-brisbane-baroque-eloquence-the-dear-saxon#more-72948

Some of the Music of Johann Adolf Hasse we heard that night.

Max through the ages

ASQ 'Abundance'

1st September 2015

Qld Conservatorium Theatre

https://www.griffith.edu.au/music/queensland-conservatorium/venues/conservatorium-theatre

http://www.asq.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/AustralianStringQuartet?fref=ts

 Last night's 'Abundance' concert by the Australian String Quartet had one really outstanding piece for me. Matthes Hindson's String Quartet no.3 Ngeringa. Viola player the wonderful Stephen Page gave a little explanation of the music which was written especially for the ASQ. He mentioned that the first of four parts was Landscape and silly me had visions pastoral, completely forgetting we are in Australia. When it began with intensity and harsh visions I realized I was on a different and more suitable track. It explored parts of my mind that awoke then and there. Brilliant playing and a huge response from the audience who loved it. That is Mount Barker below which is referred to in the first movement.

Another part of the programme that moved me was the lush Webern Langsamer Satz in which I could see Garbo in front of a country estate, head thrown back as in a 1930's black and white soft focus romantic melodrama. I could hear Mahler and Alpine horns of he and Strauss. You can imagine how pleased with myself I was when I saw so many references to Mahler and Strauss in the programme notes.

Smetana at the end had some chillingly beautiful individual playing by all four string players as they shone in turn and together. This was a real equal opportunity quartet. After the show I was so pleased to at last have the opportunity to briefly meet violinist Brendan Joyce whom I have seen so many times of late and each time with a different collection of players. Stephen King also was kind enough to shake my hand. I have met him at previous concerts and he such a lovely soul.

A lovely message I received from them a while back

Also I ran into Oliver Samson from the Queensland Conservatorium - Musical Theatre. I have seen and heard and been so impressed by his performance a few times already this year. I however took a while to recognise him as he was doing a Clark Kent and it was not until he took off his glasses that I recalled that first outstanding song he sang back in April just a few feet in front of me and with such intensity I was quite overwhelmed. We had a great chat as I sipped my first red of the evening.

Matthew Hindson AM is one of the most-performed and most-commissioned composers of his generation. His works have been performed by ensembles and orchestras throughout Australia and internationally by the London, the Royal, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras. He has been the featured composer at national and international festivals, with orchestras and Musica Viva. Matthew’s music has been used for dance including by the Birmingham Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Ballett Schindowski and the Sydney Dance Company.

ASQ Tour 2 Abundance from Australian String Quartet on Vimeo.

Pirates of Penzance

19th March 2015

Concert Hall QPAC

Harvest Rain

Photography by Nick Morrissey

Tonight I was lucky enough to get a ticket to The Pirates of Penzance and what a show it was. All I can say is that it was sensational and as a bonus it was full of friends I have made this year.

First I want to congratulate my astoundingly talented Pirate and Policemen friends the very becoming and sexy as hell Dan Venz, Tom Oliver, Chris Kel Lett, Zachary Denman and Ethan Jones. These all singing all dancing guys are just brilliant and I have become to know their hard work of late and it is to be followed. I have seen them so often since meeting many of the in Boy & Girl at the beginning of the year. Directed by Simon Gallaher who must know it backwards as he was the star 30 years ago, and it shows in the joy and non stop inventiveness served up. 

Nancye Hayes has several decades of experience that just shines on stage with comfort, precision and a knowledge known only to a real trooper and main stay of Australian theatre and television. 

What made my jaw drop was sensational Billy Bourchier as Frederic and Georgina Hopson as Mabel. Both ridiculously beautiful, assured and with voices to die for. Their stage presence belied the fact that they are mere recent ( a few months) graduates from The Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Decades ago I used to watch international opera stars emerge from this amazing school and today their musical theatre course is producing young artists of truly exceptional talent. Booking late we just managed to get tickets a long way back in the almost full house of 2000. Every night is the same. The audience cheered, laughed, clapped and screamed for the entire show and when it ended I managed to stand and clap for the entire 8 minute Pirate Megamix bows. I am so glad I went. Last week at the Matilda Awards, Harvest Rain producer Tim O.Connor was up on stage receiving honours for this company and his personal work. They really have emerged over the last few years from a small theatre group to a major musical theatre company of the highest standards. We walked out determined to subscribe in future. I want to get my favoured front and centre seats in years to come. Great Musical Theatre.

This is the sensational voice and stage presence and beauty of Billy Bouchier whom I have seen in concert and in Candide this year and will see again in Les Mis at the end of the year

I will also be seeing the absolutely amazing soprano Georgina in 'Into The Woods' later this year.

The introduction of Frederick and Mabel