Music for a Summer Evening

I was asked to cover this concert for a colleague and I am so pleased I was able to attend. It is the first time that the Operatic Society have taken their Summer Concert on tour performing in 3 venues other than their base in St Andrew’s Church in Roker. I attended in the lovely surroundings of St Cuthbert’s Church in Durham and the evening was filled with an eclectic programme of well sung beautiful music. This concert had been originally planned by the society for performance in the summer of 2020 and I’m so pleased it finally got to be heard albeit two years later.

It was a delight to hear not only choral harmony singing but also a large amount of the numbers were performed acapella. The programme content was described as from Sacred to Swing and this was definitely delivered. The opening number “I’m Gonna Sing” is a traditional African- American spiritual and what an opener it was, powerful and joyous. There wasn’t any element of the programme I didn’t enjoy but I will concentrate on my personal favourites. “The Lord is my Shepherd” as arranged by Howard Goodall is better known as the theme to the Vicar of Dibley television series and included beautiful solo singing from Kim Storey. “Ubi Caritas” although sung in the style of Gregorian chant was written in 2001, again a stunning presentation of this music. The finale of Act 1 was “Zadok the Priest” the Anthem composed for the coronation of George II in 1727 and which has been used for every coronation since. This number made you feel the music not just hear it, it was powerful and definitely majestic. In Act 2 the programme moved from the sacred theme to the more easy listening numbers such a “Dream a Little Dream” made famous by the Mamas and Papas, “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim and two beautiful Burt Bacharach numbers “What the World Needs Now” and “Close to You”, all of these were perfectly delivered.  The inclusion in the programme of traditional North East folk songs “Booby Shaftoe” and “Dance to your Daddy” went down well with the audience and we were also treat to “Bonny at Morn” sung by Susan Antcliff. Other solo performances were “Linden Lea” performed by Eric Stephenson and a couple of lighter moments were provided with “The Apathetic Man” sung with great expression by Kathy Price and “The Hippopotamus” sung by Michael Beck with encouraged audience participation! Finally there was a perfect swing finish to the programme from the company with “It Don’t Mean a Thing”.

Thank you St Andrew’s Operatic Society for making me so welcome and congratulations to all concerned  for delivering such an enjoyable programme to perfectly compliment the beautiful summers evening.

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