Youngsters tune up to join Perth Symphony Orchestra

When performer Nicky Spence was indisposed, lucky happenstance gave pianist Daniel Hart and soprano Elena Garrido Madrona the opportunity to make their debut at Perth Concert Hall on February 17.

The young Spanish soprano, now studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, began with four songs by Rossini.

Little known as songs, the melodies of three turn up as orchestrated

Rossiniana for ballets.

The Promise was a little cool, but L’Invito showed more feeling. La Partenza was Rossini’s‘pain’at leaving Nice and was very operatic with roulades and a solo cadenza.

Best was La Danza a vivacious tarantella with lively personality from Elena Garrido Madrona, a joking hand signal at one point telling the accompanist to hold on a minute!

Daniel Hart, successful in many piano competitions and also winner of the RCS Concerto Competition

Prize, next played Beethoven’s Sonata in E, Op109. A sensitive first movement was followed by a vehement Prestissimo, the final variations brought out both the cantabile and the espressivo, leading to the transcendent.

Elena Garrido Madrona returned for two Duparc Mélodies of much greater depth: Chanson triste of beautiful line and, with the piano important in prelude and postlude, expressively sung Au Pays où se fait la guerre about the desolation felt about a loved one’s absence.

Contrasting with the postlude devoid of hope of this song were three piano pieces by the Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona. His compatriot Daniel Hart revelled in the Spanish fingerprints of Cordoba with its smoky tunes and seductive B section, the nimble Lisztian scherzo of Gitanerias and the dark processional of Malagueña.

Well received, both artists returned for a suitably light-hearted encore in the form of La Coquette.