Concert
Christabelle Formosa, soprano; Sarah Vella, Laetitia Amodio, pianists
Villa Bologna
Villa Bologna’s aristocratic, drawing room ambience lent itself well to air the musical talent of three young and promising performers.
Teenage pianist Sarah Vella performed two of Frédéric Chopin’s many polonaises. These were the C Sharp Minor, Op. 26, No. 1 and the F Sharp Minor Op. 44, No. 5. She had a good technical command of the keyboard but sounded a bit restrained in the former polonaise. One felt that she had warmed up well enough, even emotionally, when it came to the second polonaise, which had a more all-round positive projection.
One has to praise Christabelle Formosa, the young soprano from Gozo who is only 22 years old, for her poise and confidence and, most of all, the beauty of her voice. Well-controlled, clear and employing fine diction, she lived up to the promise she displayed when I heard her singing maybe just one piece or two quite some time ago.
Well, the voice has indeed blossomed and she effortlessly sang O mio babbino caro from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Yes, every soprano, whether aspiring or established, wants to sing this little gem. One was glad to notice that the excellent interpretation was not dramatised – a common pitfall – but was delivered with tongue-in-cheek aplomb. Iż-Żernieq and Għodwa, two of Charles Camilleri’s aptly named Ħames Kanti Popolari, came across very well in their simplicity of style and idiom. The young soprano followed with more versatility in Loewe’s I Cpuld Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady, again sung clearly and with great verve.
She ended with Ennio Morricone’s optimistic and dreamy vocal version of Gabriel’s Oboe from the soundtrack of The Mission. Ramona Zammit Formosa accompanied the singer in her usual impeccably supportive and understanding manner.
The last and youngest performer was Laetitia Amodio. Frankly, this young lady never ceases to impress with her playing. Anybody hearing her with closed eyes could not be blamed for presuming that it was not a mere 11-year-old but a rather much more mature performer at the piano.
That goes for her uncanny feel for the pieces she performs and the innate expressive and insightful approach that marks her interpretation. She tackled the opening movement to the first movement from Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata with an ease and impetuous drive that remained controlled and mindful of the dynamic contrasts of the piece.
In Schubert’s Impromptu in G flat, Op. 90, No. 3, she just let loose a flood of beautiful notes, tranquil, well-paced and very song-like. Franz Liszt’s Étude No. 5 from Grands Études de Paganini served as a showpiece which included rapidly intricate cross-hand playing.
The fiery, angry patriotic nature of Frédéric Chopin’s Revolutionary Study Op. 10, No. 12 did not lack in sweep, underscored by a relentlessly busy left hand.
Crowning this selection was the virtuoso Dança do indio branco, the fourth in the Ciclo brasileiro by Heitor Villa-Lobos, and which leaves one quite breathless as it is so intense.