Ross' Concerts and Musicals 2009

Last Night At The Proms - Royal Albert Hall

BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Chorus
BBC Singers

Conducted by the American David Robertson.

Firstly I must say how grand the Royal Albert Hall looks and it looked great decked out in the Union Jack flags.

Secondly HaHa no I was not there personally. I was back in Christchurch, NZ in a local movie theatre today seeing the BBC broadcast of the Proms. It was probably the next best thing to being there with the big screen and surround sound. But it must have been the longest movie I have been to with it lasting 3 hours 20 minutes with a short interval. Luckily I took with me a large bowl of Flat White coffee and my usual icecream.

The highlights for me in the first half was the singing of the very classy mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly and the very beautiful Alison Balsom playing the trumpet.

Sarah was great singing Dido's Lament. Her 6yo daughter was also in the audience.

Alison was great playing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto in E flat major.

I also enjoyed the last song in the first half which was Villa-Lobos Chôros No.10, 'Rasga o Coração'.

During the interval they showed some of the guests at the 5 outdoor venues ( I didn't realize that there were outdoor concerts being performed at the same time as the proms). One of the performers was Katherine Jenkins. Also playing her violin was Nicola Benedetti.

After the interval the pomp and circumstance part of the Proms came to the fore.
It started with Arnold A Grand, Grand Overture. Also involved with the orchestra was 3 vacuum cleaners and Sir David Attenborough on a floor polisher, he was very good. Also there were four shooters with shotguns which at the end of the overture shot the cleaners lol.

Ketèlbey In a Monastery Garden.
Piazzolla Libertango performed wonderfully by Alison.
Gershwin, arr. Barry Forgie Shall We Dance – 'They can't take that away from me' performed by Alison and Sarah.
BBC Proms Inspire composers Fireworks Fanfares This was composed by young teenagers and was performed by Alison and all the percussion and Brass sections of the different orchestras at the RAH and the 5 outdoor venues and was very well done.

Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks was another great piece with the different outdoor fireworks shown at the same time.

Now came the pomp and circumstance part of the Prom.
Arne, arr. Sargent Rule, Britannia! This was excellent. Sarah came out in a Nelsonian Naval Uniform complete with telescope. I like how the audience belted out the chorus (the British are great at singing patriotic songs). During the song Sarah pulled out her sword and it turned into a Union Jack lol.

Parry Jerusalem Another great patriotic song.
Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 (Land Of Hope and Glory) was the masterpiece of the Prom with the audience bobbing up and down, excellent.

The Prom finished with The National Anthem.
Then the audience and the choirs performed Auld Lang Syne.

Boy I wished I was there.

VIVA VOCE University Voice Students Great Hall, Arts Centre

Staged Arias and Songs Elric Hooper Artistic Director
Iola Shelley accompanist

Tutors Dame Malvina Major and Vernon Midgley

This hour long concert was to showcase the talent of the students at the University School Of Music. And yes appearing as part of the Ensemble was our Sophie Westenra i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif.

Some of the students are very talented and you can tell that Dame Malvina Major has played a big part in their tutor-age. One in particular is Polly Ott who is in her final year and has a great future ahead of her.

Opening Sequence - Patience Gilbert & Sullivan
Ensemble with Amina Edris (including Sophie)

A Magnet Hung in a Hardware Shop - Patience Gilbert & Sullivan
Julian Hay

Sul fil d'un soffio etesio - Falstaff Giuseppe Verdi
Elisabeth Daley (Great voice)

Tornami a dir - Don Pasquale Gaetano Donizetti
Polly Ott & Oliver Sewell

The Maids of Cadiz Leo Delibes
Ashleigh Watts

Music for a while - Oedipus Henry Purcell
Qi Rachel Hu

Poor wandering one - Pirates of Penzance Gilbert & Sullivan
Amina Edris with the Ensemble (including Sophie) I loved this song Amina is a good singer.

Lonely Horse - Street Scene Kurt Weill
Julian Hay

Flower Song - Faust Charles Gounod
Ceit McLean

So anch'io la virtu magica - don Pasquale Gaetano Donizetti
Polly Ott

Passeggiata - Light in the Piazza Adam Guettel
Julian Hay

Sull'aria - The Marriage of Figaro W.A. Mozart
Elisabeth Daley & Rachel Saunders

Stay, Frederic, Stay - Pirates of Penzance Gilbert & Sullivan
Ashleigh Watts & Julian Hay

The Doll Song - The Tales of Hoffman Jacques Offenbach
Polly Ott This was the highlight of the night. Polly sang brilliantly and did all the doll movements as well.

Brindisi - La Traviata Giuseppe Verdi
Ensemble (including Sophie) with Oliver Sewell & Elisabeth Daley & Polly Ott

This was a good concert and it was great to see Sophie again. Dame Malvina Major was also in the audience along with proud parents of the students.

Well, at least Ross you belonged to the AA. Think of the hassle involved if you hadn't been!
And the expense!

Interesting hearing how things are having Christmas in summer time. Seems to me so weird.

Peter S.