The New Zealand International Arts Festival opened Friday night with two of Igor Stravinsky's great neo-classical works which highlight his interest in using the Bible and Greek myth to make works which are modern - musically, psychologically and spiri
Stravinsky; Symphony of Psalms & Oedipus Rex
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus of The NBR New Zealand Opera
Conductor Joana Carneiro
Soloists Stuart Skelton (tenor), Margaret Medlyn (soprano), Martin Snell (bass) and Daniel Sumegi (bass-baritone), Virgilio Marino (tenor) and Rawiri Paratene (the narrator)
Michael Fowler Centre
February 24th
New Zealand International Arts Festival
The New Zealand International Arts Festival opened last night with two of Igor Stravinsky’s great neo-classical works which highlight his interest in using the Bible and Greek myth to make works which are modern - musically, psychologically and spiritually.
While the Symphony of Psalms is a religious work using the psalms to praise god it is a also about the power of music. Stravinsky in choosing to use Psalm 150 in which praise of god is done through the trumpet, the lute the harp and dance seems to be using an appropriate form for a composer, turning these biblical poems into a symphony which becomes a personal way of seeking the truth. The composer provides music which is emotionally rich as well as expressing religious feelings and conviction.
There is a wide range of emotions within the music; joy, elation, pain, suffering, despair which gives the work a depth which many religious works lack.
The staging of the symphony is novel as Stravinsky had an aversion to the organ and for this work excluded the violin. The melodic line was mainly played by two pianos and various other instruments. This allowed for those instruments and especially the woodwinds and the brass to shine.
Throughout the performance the great bursting waves of sound and the shimmering tranquil passages were totally controlled by the diminutive Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro whose stance, body language and conducting embodied all the tensions and intensity of the work.
The NZSO and especially the vast array of cellos and double basses provided an electriying and forceful sound
Oedipus Rex is essentially a chamber opera and an attempt to replicate what a Greek opera would have looked like.
Loosely based on the Sophocles play it tells of the crucial point when Oedipus and the city of Thebes discovers that he has killed his father and married his mother. The focus of Stravinsky’s work is the intersection of the collective response of society and the individual trauma and guilt to momentous events.
These tensions and emotions are carried equally by the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus, the soloists and orchestra and the balance needs to be controlled by the conductor. Joana Carneiro managed that brilliantly. Her attention darted between soloists, instrumentalists and chorus, judging and weighing the subtleties of each performer.
The five soloists were impressive with Stuart Skelton giving an imposing performance as Oedipus, his rich tenor voice showing imperial as well as stoic qualities. Margaret Medlyn’s severe, guilt ridden voice had traces of savagery which contrasted well with the orchestras’ lyric qualities.
Most impressive was Daniel Sumegi as Creon and the Messenger. He managed to convey a truly full character, communicating a real sense of urgency and drama through his singing.
Rawiri Paratene as the speaker offered just the right level of narrative and explanation (the work being sung in Latin) while Martin Snell and Virgilio Marino gave thoughtful performances
Other musical works coming in the festival
The Galileo Project: Music of the Sphere which features the Canadian group Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra playing early music including works by Handel, Monteverdi, Purcell and Lully
March 16th, Wellington Town Hall
The Sixteen conducted by Harry Christophers play music ranging from Early English polyphony as well as Classical and contemporary music. They will perform works b Thomas Tallis, Orlando Gibbons and Benjamin Britten
March 3, Wellington Town Hall
Dreamscapes with the NZ Trio who will combine with two percussionists in a programme of contemporary music including the premiere if a work by Jack Body and rare performance of the American George Crumb’s “Dream Sequence (Images II)
March 17th Wellington Town Hall
