Harp and voice
Recital: Barocco Cultural Events, Valletta Waterfront
One very enjoyable and interesting event was the harp extravaganza with a touch of vocal music held at the Tal-Harba Sacrestia Vault, Valletta Waterfront. Situated at the back of the beautifully restored little baroque church dedicated to the flight to Egypt, the place is very welcoming and intimate, ideal for music of this type. Well-known actress Ninette Micallef presented the works performed by harpist Anne-Marie Camilleri-Podestà, who bore the brunt of the evening's presentation. The young harpist also accompanied soprano Marita Bezzina in four operatic excerpts.
Ms Camilleri-Podestà keeps growing in stature as a harpist. Her undoubted technical dexterity and deep musicality are obvious to all. She proved this quite easily thanks to a carefully chosen programme. The sultry atmosphere in Habanera Gris, by Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, was followed by Bernard Andres's Gigue. This was a clear example of great dexterity while still maintaining clarity; the virtuoso nature of the work never interfered with articulation. Equally fine playing marked another Ortiz piece, Merengue Rojo, which was followed by Hamilton Harty's very evocative and at times rather passionate Spring Fancy. The harpist's versatility stood her well in the relaxing baroque piece, an arrangement of Pachelbel's famous Canon.
With a leap of a few centuries came Nino Rota's pleasant Toccata. Perhaps the most passionate and involving piece was Zabel's La Source with its marvellous rippling effects and which was performed with style and freshness, characteristics also marking Godefroid's Etude de concert.
Three of the four pieces sung by Ms Bezzina were by Puccini. The only exception was Mozart's Voi che sapete from Le nozze di Figaro. More legato was needed here and certain misplaced accents should have been avoided. Quando m'en vò from La Bohème had a lot of panache and came across well enough except for some screechiness in the topmost reaches. Vissi d'arte from Tosca had the right dose of drama and poignancy but more attention has to be paid to upward modulation.
Both musicians were very warmly received by the audience and as an encore, Ms Camilleri-Podestà performed a very vivid and energetic Sun Dance by William Mathias.
Ms Camilleri-Podestà keeps growing in stature as a harpist. Her undoubted technical dexterity and deep musicality are obvious to all. She proved this quite easily thanks to a carefully chosen programme. The sultry atmosphere in Habanera Gris, by Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, was followed by Bernard Andres's Gigue. This was a clear example of great dexterity while still maintaining clarity; the virtuoso nature of the work never interfered with articulation. Equally fine playing marked another Ortiz piece, Merengue Rojo, which was followed by Hamilton Harty's very evocative and at times rather passionate Spring Fancy. The harpist's versatility stood her well in the relaxing baroque piece, an arrangement of Pachelbel's famous Canon.
With a leap of a few centuries came Nino Rota's pleasant Toccata. Perhaps the most passionate and involving piece was Zabel's La Source with its marvellous rippling effects and which was performed with style and freshness, characteristics also marking Godefroid's Etude de concert.
Three of the four pieces sung by Ms Bezzina were by Puccini. The only exception was Mozart's Voi che sapete from Le nozze di Figaro. More legato was needed here and certain misplaced accents should have been avoided. Quando m'en vò from La Bohème had a lot of panache and came across well enough except for some screechiness in the topmost reaches. Vissi d'arte from Tosca had the right dose of drama and poignancy but more attention has to be paid to upward modulation.
Both musicians were very warmly received by the audience and as an encore, Ms Camilleri-Podestà performed a very vivid and energetic Sun Dance by William Mathias.