Halloween’s musical spooktacle enjoyable
HARK, Hark the dogs do bark!
The vampires are coming to town, some in rags, some in jags and some in velvet gowns. Some came as winged fairies pink and glittered, others as Darth Vader all black and silver; capes and skeletons filled the aisles with excited anticipation.
The winners of the Halloween costume prize came as the Addams Family.
Not really wishing to be the Jeremiah, but, it must be said, that, here we are in the full flourish of spring, embraced by a particularly glorious Beltane, and globally unique freedom to mingle, toying with Death.
But, enough! On with bone rattling!
Under the direction of Vincent Hardacre, the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra with a full complement of percussion, donned spectral rags and filled the hall, similarly litup with evil grimaces, with freespirited youth ready for a night on the town.
The welldevised programme opened with Compere Count Davida (aka Dave Armstrong) introducing Count Birch (aka David Burchell) on the organ.
Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor is one of Dracula’s favourite pieces. Thus cowed, the audience was next treated to Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain giving Armstrong an opportunity to illustrate the ability of the orchestra to create images and sensations.
Two works by Saint Saens’ “Fossils’’ from Carnival of the Animals and “Dance Macabre” respectively gave the timpani section and violinist Cruella DaVille (aka Tessa Petersen) an excellent outing.
“Imperial March’’ from John Williams’ film score for the serial blockbuster Star Wars,
Berlioz’ “Witches Sabbath” from Symphonie Fantastique maintained the momentum.
Bobby Pickett’s Monster Mash
(aka “Transylvania Twist”), Ray Parker’s Ghostbusters and local comedian Jonathan Usher (from the House of Ussher?) completed a successfully entertaining evening.
It did, after all, end happily — not with a whimper but with a bang.