|
|
Here's a copy of the programme: Puccini Plus was a celebration of sublime classical music for solo voice and chorus, conducted by Robyn Ryan OAM. Talented accompanist Lydia Wills supported the fine soloists and chorus as they performed some of Puccini’s best loved vocal works PLUS the work of a couple of other great composers . Giacomo Puccini is synonymous with the world of opera. Born 1858 at Lucca, Italy from a long line of gifted musicians he was 5 years old when his father died. Composition came naturally to him and even before studying Music Composition he composed whilst still residing at Lucca. Eventually he commenced his studies in the Milan Conservatory where his amazing gifts were nurtured. The rest is history. This amazing musician is renowned for many beautifully crafted operas including Manon Lescaut, Madam Butterfly, La Boheme, Tosca and Turandot. However his greatest gift to the world of music remains his exquisite melody writing. He once wrote that “without melody, fresh and poignant, there can be no music”. Famous Puccini arias often performed as standard solo items come from his pen – One Fine Day, Your Tiny Hand is Frozen, Nessun Dorma and a plethora of others. He is arguably the most famous composer of Italian music. Soloists John Thompson (tenor) & Ian Castle (baritone) featured alongside Cantorus SATB choir in the Messa di Gloria. This is one of Puccini’s non-operatic works, and the glorious melodies make it a wonderfully stirring piece of music. Puccini’s name for this Mass was Messa a quarto voci con orchestra (Mass for four voice parts with orchestra) but somehow it has become known latterly (and incorrectly) as Messa di Gloria.
|
