I`m in Heaven with the voices of Il Volo!

                                                      

Once in a century, music is turned on its ear by a new sensational group. This year, the group is Il Volo, It has hit the world like a big pizza pie flying into the air, sending amore vibes into everyone`s ear. The sound that comes from these young men's voices is indeed heavenly. It is hypnotizing. Their average age is 17. They are untrained but they are managed by two producers who are closely aligned with Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion.

Luck brought me Il Volo

I ended up one night at their show in Montreal held in Place des Arts. I had neither ticket nor any plan to see them. A woman named Sarah who was in charge of concert audience management and the Meet and Greet folks - all of whom had paid big bucks to go backstage and meet the three gorgeous guys, insisted I attend and take part in meeting them too. Sarah saw my journalist credentials hanging off my neck. I was returning from the Montreal World Film Festival, and so she thought it a good thing I hear them.
Not being interested in pop Italian opera, I expressed a passing  interest, but once she handed me the ticket and looked earnestly at me saying their manager would love me to go backstage and meet them and hear the concert, I agreed. I really did not wish to disappoint Sarah. I am so glad I did! I have never been so excited and thrilled by the music and spectacle that dazzle my ears and eyes.

Elegant and suave, their sonic beauty was heightened by lighting and projections on the back walls of scenes from a Charlie Chaplin movie (when they sang ‘Smile’), and watercolour animations of love images.
These darling young fellows put on a splendid show, joking and making comments with their thick Italian accents to members in the audience, but it is their voices, alone and together that make you believe there really is a heaven - one ringing with celestial romantic songs and upbeat ones too that stir the soul and sizzle the body. They are hot!

No matter the song, each singer mastered the phrasing, pitch and emotion with passion and impeccable timing.
I will not list the songs they sung, but if you go to their albums and check out You Tube, they are all there. My favourite for the evening was El Reloj (a song about eternal love being bound up in time passing). I did not want this concert to end. I wanted all time to stop. I was exhilarated by my evening of magnificent surprise, intensified all the more when Sarah called my name to meet them backstage in a little room where she insisted my picture be taken with them. ''Gianluca, Piero and Ignacio - having you near me made me feel light headed.'' I was flying high for the rest of the week!

                                                                          Gianluca

Piero

                                                                              Ignacio

Jersey Boys

A Marvellous Musical! about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

High Voltage Volume and Energy Deliver a Powerhouse Story

Reviewed by Nancy Snipper

Wow! This frenetically fabulous musical dazzles us as it charts the rise of Frankie Valli and his three talented friends: composer, Bob Gaudio, long time sketchy go-getter and gambler Tommy DeVito, bass boy, Nick Massi and the group’s lyricist, Bob Crewe.  Spectacular harmonies blend to bring to life this iconic 50’s group that spilled out hit after hit. The production offered a back screen animated with comic book images and names of the various clubs that the group performed in, such as the Strand in 1953.

 
 The Silhouette and the Sea Breeze Diner Club; they lit up the back like marquees to highlight the group’s stage gigs and the pictures vividly created the innocence and tenor of the times. The set was framed in a huge metal grid that sported a staircase.

The story of the Four Seasons is one wherein the singing boys traveled together through deep valleys of setbacks, but undeterred they eventually soar to high performance mountain peaks.

What I loved about the production was the zippy non-stop presentation of the story within a musical framework that left no stone unturned. Medley after medley imbedded itself into the various episodic segments of this group that endured decades while others had one-hit wonders and faded into oblivion. 

Dance numbers, a great band and the superlative staging and direction by Des McAnuff created the success as the hyper lively pace superb music showed off the stellar acting and musical talents of all: Drew Seeley, Keith Hines and Nicolas Dromard. Hayden Milanes was Frankie Valli incarnate. What a voice! His stamina was truly a feat of nature, as he was constantly acting, singing and moving. He even pulled off a fast out-of-nowhere James Brown splitz. 

All were great: These veteran actors have appeared on Broadway and toured onto a slew of prestigious stages rocking the world with their musical talents. The Jersey Boys is one of these feel-good productions that have you singing Sherry, Sherry Baby as you leave the theatre. Get ready to keep up with the electrifying pace as the story about this timeless – The Four Seasons and their main star, Frank Valli is revealed like never before.

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Arion Baroque Orchestra

CHORAL VOICES CONVERGE ON PURCELL’S MANY FACES AS ARION EXPRESSES IT ALL IMMACULATELY.

Arion Concert, Bourgie Hall, January 13^th, 2 p.m.

Andrew McAnerney

The moment Andrew McAnerney’s choir began to sing with Arion Baroque Orchestra’s playing, the world stood still. The choir’s sublime tonal harmony cast a continual spell on us all as Mr. McAnerney gently wafted his baton, conducting the sixteen choral members of his choir, Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal of which he is the artistic director.

Opening the 2019 season with an all-Purcell program, the concert featured three of the 17^th-century composer’s solemn anthems which were played at funerals during the English composer’s life. The first one we heard, Thou Knowest Lord the Secret of our Hearts was expressly written for the composer’s own funeral, and was indeed played at his burial in 1695.

Hear my Prayer, O Lord followed, and then came the memorable Jehova, quam multi sun hostes mei.  This almost modern-in-feel daring work was striking in its lyric and expression, as the amazing tenor, Nils Brown, sang with command the first part of the lyric. Then baritone, Normand Richard exclaimed like a call to arms, “Surge Surge Jehova…. “

tenor, Nils Brown

baretone, Normand Richard

The pair expressed this work’s Latin lyric with such intense conviction, we felt we were beginning to feel Purcell’s depth, not to mention, we immediately wanted to go out and relearn our Latin from school.

This third anthem focused on foes. It featured some vivid, even violent descriptions: “Strike all my enemies on the jaw, break the teeth of the wicked.” This, he implores the Lord to do. No mincing words here!

Purcell ‘s sacred music demands a perfect if not restrained balance of unified tonal vocals that highlight polyphonic passages. This was majestically achieved by the singers’ as they followed the direction of their sagacious choir master, Mr. McAnerney.

Versatility, melodic inventiveness and baroque fugues jumped from rhythmic lightness and alacrity to robust attacks such as in the Welcome to All the Pleasures – the final piece on this outstanding program characterized the composer’s musical ingenuity. Never a dull moment!

soprano, Stephanie Manias

What a delight to hear Mme Stephanie Manias angelic soprano voice, and when it intertwined  in one part with soprano, Rebecca Dowd’s, stunning voice, we felt we had touched heaven. It was as if these two twittering song birds guided us there for just a brief moment.  Likewise, counter tenor, Nicholas Burns was hypnotic in his heart-felt mellifluous delivery – a striking comparison to Nils Brown’s dramatic delivery in this joyous work.

counter tenor, Nicholas Burns

One must also mention that Claire Guimond’s Arion Baroque Orchestra made its own celestial instrumental voice heard both in Chaconne pour cordes et basse continue en sol mineur, Z.730, and also in the Overture of the Ode for the Celebration of Sainet Cécile.

Invigorating at times, lofty with lingering sweetness at other times, 

Purcell work is brimming with colourful contrasts as heard in a minuet, jig, and air in the Ouverture et suite pour la piece Abdelazer or The Moor’s Revenge.

It was a matinee concert of divine music; it held up a highly polished mirror to Purcell’s many faces

One hopes Purcell who lived only 35 years is listening to his own music in Heaven.

One hopes to see more collaboration between Arion Baroque Orchestra and the Studio de Musique Ancienne

Don’t miss Arion’s fourth illustrious concert of the season, titled Les Écrivains de l’Âme. It features the compositions of Haydn, Mozart and Rossini with invited guest, clarinetist, Lorenzo Coppola. This concert takes place on March 14-17.

For more information, visit the website: www. arionbaroque.com or call 514-355-1825.

MUCH TO DO ABOUT EVERYTHING FOR SEASON FINALE

Enrico Onofri

One sure bet with Arion is the program never stints on choices and quantity. Illustrious guests offering world-class virtuoso playing is also a sure bet, such as witnessed during the matinee concert on May 5 inside Arion’s home turf (Bourgie Hall). Titled, A Little Night Music, the concert featured, violinist Enrico Onofri – a popular Arion guest favourite in his dual role as conductor and performer. His comfy rapport with Arion’s baroque string players is utterly pleasing.   

Composers on the program included Biber, Barsanti, Vivaldi, Boccherini and Mozart. Each piece captured the goings-on of night life, especially in Boccherin’s La Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid. Instrumental suitability vividly set the scene for all kinds of various street life. The parade at the end with its final diminuendo was mesmerizing. So softly was the fade of instruments you could almost see the street musicians of the night disappearing in the distance.

Vivaldi’s Concerto in G minor was compelling as flutist Claire Guimond dialogued with violin and basse continue. The expressive performance spun a tapestry of breathtaking techniques, thereby conveying a variety of delicate and robust flavours - colorful music to evoke night-time surprises. This work had an almost avant-garde approach to instrumental roles. The largos and prestos offered exciting contrasts to one another – as did his Sinfonia tirée de la serenade.

All kinds of bowing and rhythms greeted our ears in almost every piece. The concert ended with Mozart’s Serenata nottura, K.239 for two violins, alto, bass, strings and kettledrums. Part-way through, one of maestro Onofri’s strings broke.  The unexpected happens when music of the night reaches the stars.  

Next season's  five concerts feature works by Telemann, Bach, Mozart, and Handel.
Book your tickets now. Call, (514) 355-1825. 
The website is www.arionbaroque.com

The Comical and the Serious with Mozart and Haydn

Bourgie Hall, Sunday, May 6th, 2 pm

A Thrilling Group of Guest Artists

Arion closed its 37^th concert season with remarkable vivacity and outstanding playing – all enhanced by really funny entertaining moments. Mozart and Haydn are a scintillating match for this magnificent orchestra; they handle music’s humour with wit; and gravity with equal emotional understanding.

Guest soprano, Andréanne Brisson Paquin has a voice that beautifully reaches the high notes. Her tone is exquisite; her animated manner worked well as she took over the part of Clorinda, singing Mozart’s Air Vorrei spiegarvi, Oh Dio. I loved the oboe seduction that played out as Daniel Lanthier doubled as oboist and lothario as well. Using his instrument and his gestures to try to win over Clorinda, was highly entertaining and illustrative of the scene. Both singer and oboist interpreted this segment perfectly. Ms. Paquin’s acting was great as witnessed when she sung Suzanna in Mozart’s Air Al desio di chi t’adora.

Another colourful treat in this concert was the performance by horn player, Pierre-Antoine Tremblay. He demonstrated so many different textures with varied contrasts of expression. His breath control and musicality was most impressive during his performance of Mozart’s Horn Concerto in E-flat major, K.447.

Arion Baroque Orchestra certainly chose the right guest artist to act out various parts of the program. Lorenzo Coppola vividly demonstrated musical moments in various works performed by the orchestra. He enacted anger, sullenness, pain, love, and more. At one point Mr. Lorenzo galloped across the stage with an extract form the orchestra to show the instruments rallied together in a hunting scene with the horn leading the musical fray. At another point he jumped across and chair, even flung his belly across it miming swimming to show yet another emotional moment in the music of a particular piece. His historical clarinet of two registers was also the brunt of jokes he made, but his playing was anything but funny. He is a true performer whose varied agile talents, both amuse educate us about various passages. They proved far more enlightening because of his contextual explanations of the scenes and characters. Next time, a bit of English interspersed with his many explanations would be most welcome. He is a character that surely Mozart would have loved.

The final work by Haydn – Symphony Number 76 in B-flat major showed dashingly the orchestra’s incredible versatility and musicality. This work is exciting and technically demanding. The bassoon and flute were inspiring in the first movement, and it just got more and more godly as the work played on. This work is not heard as often as is Haydn’s Surprise Symphony.

Finally, the closing concert had its own personal Arion moment of sadness. Concertmaster and first violinist Chantal Rémillard is embarking on a new chapter in her life. The concert was her last with Arion. One of the four founding members of the orchestra,  Ms. Rémillard will be missed by everyone. This concert must have been a deeply bitter sweet moment for her; she is leaving the orchestra to retire. Her student, Tanya LaPierrière who plays second violin in the orchestra, gave a moving face-to face farewell to Ms. Rémillard. I just wish this concert had been recorded for it was absolutely timeless.

FESTIVAL ACCÈS ASIE

Over 70 artists will be performing, giving workshops and more in the sensational events that number twenty. Theatre, dance, music, even a day of feasting on Afghan food is on the plate.  Interdisciplinary concerts that combine different arts is sure to inspire.

Khosro Berahmandi and me

 Khosro Berahmandi, artistic director of this 23-year-old festival that coincides with Asian Heritage Month in Montreal and North America. It brings together all communities of various backgrounds while shining the light on Asian culture and its various artistic expressions.

The opening festival cocktail night featured a jaw-dropping performance of duo of Golestan with oud-master Nazih Borish and percussionist, Ziya Tabassian. The actual group comprises four musicians, but for the festival Marina Salonga will guest with the group. She is a multi-disciplinary dance, and on Moay18th at 8 pm she will be performing with Golestan, improvising to several songs performing gypsy fusion style.

  Borish and Zyia Tabassian

There is something for everyone in this festival so check out the website: www.accesasie.com. Order your tickets now.  Concerts and events run from May 1^st to May 27^th, and are at various venues throughout Montreal. Call (514) 298-0757.

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STRINGS OF ROMANCE: EXPRESSIVE MAGNIFICENCE

Bourgie Hall, May 12^th, 2 p.m.

 presented by Montreal's Centre Kabir

This exhilarating concert in two parts showed off the incredible technique and passion of  three brilliant musicians:  sitarist, Shujajaat Khan and tabla players Indranil Mallick and Osbert Lyall. The sitar playing was so impeccable as Mr. Khan created varying rhythms and speeds, often reaching implausible lightning-speed force where his hand became a blur of movement.  His stamina is off the charts!

 Likewise for the wizard-like ta

bla performers - their synchronicity with the sitar was extraordinary - jaw-dropping, yet deceptively effortless in execution. Their thunderous “hammering” on the taut skin of the paired tabla for each  Mr. Lyall told me that all three had never played together before this concert.

The post-intermission segment  (which by the way was preceded with chai tea and rusk down in Bourgie’s lobby) featured Mr Khan singing both a love song praising his lover’s eyes, followed by a religious ode in two parts to one of the Hindu gods. I had to ask someone sitting beside me what the lyric was about in both songs – a shame we were not briefly told a bit about each song.

Part of Accès Asie Festival, this outstanding concert is eternally imprinted in my soul.

BAROQUE SPLENDOUR ALL THE WAY WITH BORIS BEGELMAN

(Bourgie Hall, April 15^th, 2 pm)

You couldn’t have ordered a better baroque concert than the one presented by Arion Baroque Orchestra this past Sunday, The generous offerings on the plate featured the exquisite musical tastes of Brescianello, Quantz, Vivaldi, Handel, Bach and Telemann. The program’s magnificent music filled us up, but we greedily hungered for more. We got it at the encore with a robust segment from  Corrette's "les sauvages" – one of his "Concertos Comiques"; he wrote 25 of them.
So perfect was the matinee performance, so breathtakingly mesmerizing was it; and above all – so rare an experience for us to behold, witness and love the virtuoso brilliance of Russian violinist, Boris Begelman – we were beautifully bewitched by it all. And he conducted too.

Particularly impressive was Mr. Begelman’s herculean ability to perform Vivaldi’s exorbitantly difficult “Concerto in D major” in which the composer pays tribute (1772) to the sacred relic of Saint Anthony of Padova’s tongue. At one point, Mr. Begelman’ s fingers played right up to his instrument’s bridge – barely leaving a hair- length of room for him to bow -  but he did just that ascending with the stroke of the bow into successive high pitched notes that rung out as a bird peeping higher and higher. He is so amazing, and what was unusual was his unaffected, almost expressionless face as he played near-impossible passages that demanded rigorous bowing, contrasting tempi, and unbridled passion within the various dynamics. He poignantly achieved them all: fortes dropping to pianissimos within seconds; lilting mellifluous melodies and majestic sturdiness, as in Bach’s “Concerto in A minor”; and the sweet lushness  we all enjoyed, tantalizingly delivered in Telemann’s “Concerto in F major for three violins”. In this work, we witnessed two great violinists who are members of Arion, stepping out front to play as “soloists”. Hats off to violinists, Chlöe Meyers and Laura Andriani. Their playing captured our attention as their instruments both lustrously and capriciously engaged with one another, and at various times played with Mr. Begelman as a trio while the orchestra often strode in boldly or enchantingly – richly enhancing this delightful Vivaldi-influenced work.

Another first violinist of note is Tanya La Perrière. She passionately produced vigorous moments of sporadic violin dialogue with Mr. Begelman.

Indeed, Arion’s own virtuosity is indisputable. From gentle harmonious adagios to allegros and prestos of such alacrity, the orchestra displayed dashing technical skills to vividly convey the expressive emotions inherent in each piece. This calibre of performance exuded a sophisticated confidence – the kind that only comes with seasoned experience and excellence. Thirty-seven years old; Arion has garnered multiple prestigious awards for specific concert recording, including the covetous Opus and Felix – and this happening alongside numerous nominations).

Finally, one must praise the duet dancing of two fast fluttering flutes played by Claire Guimond and Alexa Raine-Wright. They effortlessly brought to life Quantz’s “Concerto in D major for two flutes.” Flying fast together in all kinds of directions – taking off like playful birds, their perfect harmony tickled our imagination; the flirtatious flutes joyously jaunted – conjoined as a pair. They not only melodically skirted about one another, but they also invited the orchestra into the fun, knowing a full flourishing sound of glory strengthens the validity of lightness and whimsy.

Order your tickets for Arion’s next concert. For all information,

call (514) 355-1825. Visit the website: www.arionbaroque.com

FESTIVAL ACCES ASIA: SIX FABULOUS CONCERTS

Oracle Bones , Friday May 4 at 8pm at  Sala Rossa 4848 St-Laurent  

Indivisible , From Thursday May 10^th to Sunday May 13^th, 8pm at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) 3680, Jeanne-Mance

Eau douce, Eau trouble, Friday May 11^th 8pm, at Gesù – Centre de créativité 1200, de Bleury

Strings of Romance, INDIAN MUSIC CONCERT, Saturday May 12^th 7:30pm,  at  Bourgie Hall  Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal 1339, Sherbrooke W.

Golestan, Friday May 18^th 8pm, at Sala Rossa 4848, St-Laurent

Wind of Asia – 7^th edition, OUTDOORS EVENTS, Saturday May 26^th 2pm to 5pm, at Jardins Gamelin Place Émilie-Gamelin