Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Aria

An all-Mozart concert has its own charm, but the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra wisely ensured there would be variety at their most recent performance. Director and lead violin William Hennessy opted for a symphony, a concerto and the arias that gave the concert its title. This was appropriate as not only were the vocal items at the centre of the concert; they were at its heart, too. Soprano Greta Bradman is – with fellow Australian, Danielle de Niese – set to become internationally very famous indeed. (Fitting, really, when you consider the lasting impact of her grandfather, ‘Our Don’). There was no mention of Greta Bradman’s famous lineage in the program notes, and that was appropriate too, as this young soprano deserves success in her own right. You can’t help but notice that she is a natural beauty who dresses with charm and has an engaging personality, but it was when she hit the first notes of Mozart’s concert aria No, no, che non sei capace that people in the audience gasped. It was a confident choice, given the repeated top notes, volume and technical prowess required. This was even more so in the final concert aria: Popoli di Tessaglia. Bradman’s strong attack and dramatic awareness of the aria made it seem almost effortless – yet it was anything but! She already has great control of a beautiful voice and, although there is room for it to mature, the phrasing and feeling is already there. The gentler Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben allowed Bradman’s empathy with Mozart’s music to shine through and to show another aspect of her technique as she sang softly at a high pitch. To do Hennessy and the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra credit, they provided the ideal accompaniment for the singer, matching her in volume and pace. They also seemed to take their cue from her, with phrasing that had been somewhat lacking in the opening, Mozart’s Symphony no29 in A K201. After an almost tentative start to that first work the orchestra’s approach to the symphony was enthusiastic, with a good balance between players, particularly in the final movement when the irrepressible Hennessy seemed to galvanise the youthful players to show this was a professional orchestra. However, the final work, after interval, Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola K364, showed the orchestra at its best. A complex work, it gives prominence to the soloists – on this occasion, the very fine duo of violinist Lerida Delbridge and violist Justin Williams – as they played music that can best be described ‘pure Mozart’ in a performance that would have driven poor Salieri to the depths of murderous envy (if that theory truly has credence!). My only quibble was that it was not clear who was directing the ensemble; it appeared to be Delbridge – and yet for most of the performance she faced the audience, and this tempted the players to look to Hennessy for guidance. It’s to everyone’s credit that everything went smoothly! Again, in this work, the orchestra had to take a back seat but, far from lessening its role, it showed a willingness to support the soloists and to segue smoothly between solo and tutti passages. Perhaps at the moment the strength of this ensemble is as an accompanist – and that is entirely to their credit. Had this been just the MCO I would have given three and a half stars, but the soloists, particularly Greta Bradman, lifted the concert to four at least. Rating: 4 stars out of 5 Melbourne Chamber Orchestra: Aria Greta Bradman – Soprano Lerida Delbridge – Violin Justin Williams – Viola William Hennessy – Director Mozart – Symphony no 29 K 201 Mozart – Concert aria: Popoli di Tessaglia K 316 Aria: Ruhe sanft (from Zaide) Concert aria: No, no, che non sei capace K 419 Mozart – Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola K 364 Melbourne Recital Centre May 17