A subtle and subdued start
Opera at Pegasus Bay, Amelia Berry (soprano), Henry Choo (tenor), James Ioelu (bass baritone) and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Tahu Matheson (conductor). Pegasus Bay Winery, Waipara, February 3.
Signalling the start of the year’s classical concert calendar, Opera at Pegasus Bay is always an enjoyable afternoon – how could it not be with beautiful music and delicious wine?
Some years the weather plays along and some years it doesn’t and unfortunately this year it didn’t, but that is beyond any concert planner’s control.
The programme this year felt more subdued, partly due to a number of quieter and more subtle pieces that, en masse, did not translate well to an open-air environment. Many of the slow starts and soft instrumental solos got lost and I sensed from those around me that a rev-up was needed.
This, coupled with a number of pieces from the lesser-known repertoire, made for a concert that, while entertaining, didn’t quite have the impact of previous years. I did like the grouping of works by Mozart, Bizet and Puccini in the first-half and the selection of lighter items in the second.
The three soloists – Amelia Berry, Henry Choo and James Ioelu – all did a creditable job, working hard creating chemistry on stage and taking their solo slots, but I was particularly impressed by Berry, who shone. Her voice had a wonderfully natural feel and she had an excellent technique, Werther’s Pouquoi me re´veiller and the simple Deh vieni, non tardar were cases in point.
She and Ioelu handled Bess, You is My Woman Now very well. Ioelu and Choo were always onto a winner with Bizet’s Au fond du temple saint and sang it beautifully, while the staging touches in O soave Fanciulla added to the chemistry between Choo and Berry. Ioelu made a commanding Mephistopheles in Le veau d’or and Choo’s You Are My Heart’s Delight was very nicely done.
Conductor Tahu Matheson’s dry, laid-back asides were as humorous as they were informative. The orchestra was up to its usual standard, providing lively injections in its solo slots from Carmen, Merry Wives of Windsor and the spirited encores and, in its accompanying role, a good balance was achieved with the singers.
Full marks also to the sound engineers, who did well retaining the integrity of the sound in a difficult acoustic, resisting the temptation to beef up the amplification and thus avoiding distortion.