Category: Culture

The Planets with the NZSO

A trip with Shaz and Murray to the Michael Fowler last night.

We sat in row A- as I think we have done before. It does allow a great view of watching the very skilled performers close up- though it does give some neck ache and you do miss out on the members of the orchestra at the back.

Listening to ‘The Planets ‘was a great experience. So many ‘hits’ and so much t enjoy. Very much a proof that seeing music live provides something more and better.

The final movement -Mystic- contains errie voices singing at the end. So well done with the NZ Chamber Choir.

And this man played Elgar violin concerto.Again we could see his work close up in addition to the sweat coming down his face with all his work. Amazing to see. Remarkable skill on view. The music was good but I would need to listen again to see if a ‘grower’. He was featured on TVNZ during the week- teaching up and coming violinists.

WOMAD 2

A late update.

So here are some acts that made a greater imptession on us and were well worth the effort to see.

Local paper loves it

DAKHABRAKHA

A eclectic band from Ukraine whose music was varied and very interesting. They certainly were there to promote support their country’s current war with Russia.

GOOD HABITS

An English folk couple who play cello and accordion and who make innovative use of their instruments and ideas. They have spent a lot of time in New Zealand before, having become ‘trapped’ here during the pandemic lockdown.

LISA O’NEILL

The folk singer from Ireland who was the inspiration for us togo to the festival. She was on twice and the second time, at the more intimate stage, was bettr. A great voice aided simply by the guitar.

PONGO

An artist from Angola wasa good and surprise find. She was very engaging with he crowd and brought some liveliness to the proceedings.

Otherwise, Ziggy Marley was ok and Shaz loved Lady Shaker a Kiwi dance music purveyor/ DJ.

WOMAD

Welcome to New Plymouth- land of the optimistic.

Our first WOMAD a decision made as we wanted to see Lisa O’Neil an Irish folksinger .

She was on first in one of the four stages and so in that light, job done.

Christmas reading

A great history book that describes the ‘birth’ of East Germany, its difficulties from the outset and its development.

It presents well how it differed from the west from the outset with a different social mix, Protestants against mainly Catholics, the ethnic germans who were displaced to Germany after WW2 from other eastern countries and the lack of natural resources for industry.

The east developed its own politics clearly, with positives within its society along with the well known political suppression and Stasi surveillance. The Wall went up as a economic necessity for the east, but despite the rhetoric, was accepted as needed by the western powers too.

Another factor is the clear arrogance of the west, with its own imperfections, but unwillingness to accept positives existed in the east. There was a take over rather unification.

It is a good accompaniment to ‘Siblings’ the novel of east german origin and the political history book about Albania.

Milan and Figaro

As ever I am late.

The following entries will not be in chronological orfer but will give some impression of recent events and activities.

We were in Italy for a week and the final night we went to the opera at La Scala- again- 5 years on. It was the night before our long train ride from Milan to Zurich, then Paris and finally Brittany.

I wanted to see The Marriage of Figaro. Shaz tells me we saw it in Wellington- i can just remember- and apparently we were not impressed then.

Certainly not impressed this time. The production seemed bland in its setting, very traditional – not attempt to modernise and give something different. The performance was too long and not helped by the fact the surtitles did not work in our box for the first act. I think for a place like the La Scala it either wants/ or is under pressure to do it the usual way- do not rock the boat. My memories of innovation are much stronger for NZ Opera.

Oh well- just remember- no more Marriage of Figaro.

The Globe

A Sunday trip to see some Shakespeare. We we have seen a version of this play at the Rose and Crown, as part of the Shakespeare in the garden series.

It helps to have some idea of the story.

A great afternoon out, very well done. The actors so good and so funny. Not just the words but the timing and facial and bodily expressions.

Messiah

This year’s visit was to the Royal Festival Hall. A new venue for us I think, but I think impressive.

Of course we, that is me, Shaz and IQ, wow critical. Shaz did not like the conductor as he seemed to tell the audience when to applaud. There was too much clapping during the performance-it became disruptive.

The choir was substantial- about 300-and so gave good volume. One of the males seemed under-powered. Overall it seemed a little flat.

James Blake

This is very late in the day but…..never too late?

EQ bough tickets for James Blake at the Alexander Palace for Shaz’s birthday. However in the end- EQ decided to go to Croatia with the baby. So I filled her shoes.

It was on a Tuesday night, 10 days ago now, but a school night…so a little dangerous.

The journey there was in truth quite straightforward with an easy walk from Wood Green tube.

And the event-not bad. I like a lot of his music but I am not sure how well it transfers to the live settling. There were 10,000 people there who seemed very relaxed, white, coupled and not raucous.

A good event but not the best.

And a few extracts of music: