Echoed Voices
Renowned Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg and repetiteur Nico de Villiers wowed the audience last night with a selection of art songs, primarily by lesser-known Dutch/American composer Richard Hageman (including his well-known art song 'Do Not Go My Love'), finalising their tour and bringing to light Art-Song as an additional return to this traditional form of chamber music. The performance was also part of The Queensland Art Song Festival, a new vocal-piano chamber music education event which seeks to promote the genre for future generations and attract international experts in the field for future masterclasses and recitals.
Ms Stagg's international experience, her bell-like voice, dynamic presence and dedication brought the music to life and demonstrated her recognized background in opera, concert performance and in training in what is a very demanding and competitive profession. There was subtlety, colour and sublime theatricality in her performance and instances where you could even hear a pin drop in those poignant moments of pregnant pause and musical aftermath.
Her accompanist, Nico de Villiers, demonstrated an erudite expertise and musical flamboyance all as a reflection of his impressive academic past and posts and interest in exploring the works of Hageman and Hageman's influences, in particular Richard Strauss and Henri Duparc both also on display.
This was indeed a night of true professionalism in full flourish, not only through performance but also with the addition of a touch of the masterclass, particularly by Mr de Villiers, providing verbal introductions to each section with interesting analysis, academic insight and appreciation of the talents of Hageman's life blood, yet another composer absorbed into the mists of time by new generations of the profession.
These works are mostly full of depth of colour and creativity, both vocally and in their musical accompaniment, some of which is quite technically demanding in contrast to our ever-present pop culture; and so it is 'refreshing' to emphasize the importance of our academic institutions and intellectuals in un-earthing works of the past that deserve recognition as well as providing the opportunity for interested audiences to experience them live.
This was a very successful evening, a well-received additional exponent of a lesser-known art form these days, paving the way to sow the seeds for more to come.
Brian Adamson
Photographer: Jade Leong
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