Popera with Marvelly
Garth Wilshere
The Home Tour, Elizabeth Marvelly (soprano), The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Carl Doy, Michael Fowler Centre 13 April 2011. Reviewed by Garth Wilshere.
THIS seemed an unusual undertaking for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as the backing band for what appeared to be a CD release promotional tour. But it did attract a large and enthusiastic audience and many new patrons to an NZSO concert.
Elizabeth Marvelly is an attractive singer in the mould of other so-called “crossover “or “popera” singers, such as Hayley Westenra. Her voice is pure, sweet and attractive and her diction is crisp
Big arrangements mostly provided by conductor and pianist Carl Doy sometimes threatened to engulf her. There was a sameness in the competent, but rather bland arrangements, the big sweep of unison strings in virtually every one seemed interchangeable.
Marvelly’s own song Home was pleasant for us and meaningful for her. The others, covers of well-known songs, were nice but not especially memorable when compared to the originals.
There was more variety and life in the second half. A predictable Dave Dobbyn Welcome Home and Neil Finn’s Don’t Dream it’s Over were nicely done. A nod to classical form in Delibe’s Flower Duet and Gershwin’s Summertime were attractive. Her version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah was good and the songs in Maori, especially Tarakihi was strongly rhythmic and spirited. A simple encore of Joni Mitchell’s great Both Sides Now with Marvelly at the piano was a nice touch.
The NZSO played their orchestral brackets with zest and style; the music was not too demanding and the players were clearly enjoying themselves throughout.
THIS seemed an unusual undertaking for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as the backing band for what appeared to be a CD release promotional tour. But it did attract a large and enthusiastic audience and many new patrons to an NZSO concert.
Elizabeth Marvelly is an attractive singer in the mould of other so-called “crossover “or “popera” singers, such as Hayley Westenra. Her voice is pure, sweet and attractive and her diction is crisp
Big arrangements mostly provided by conductor and pianist Carl Doy sometimes threatened to engulf her. There was a sameness in the competent, but rather bland arrangements, the big sweep of unison strings in virtually every one seemed interchangeable.
Marvelly’s own song Home was pleasant for us and meaningful for her. The others, covers of well-known songs, were nice but not especially memorable when compared to the originals.
There was more variety and life in the second half. A predictable Dave Dobbyn Welcome Home and Neil Finn’s Don’t Dream it’s Over were nicely done. A nod to classical form in Delibe’s Flower Duet and Gershwin’s Summertime were attractive. Her version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah was good and the songs in Maori, especially Tarakihi was strongly rhythmic and spirited. A simple encore of Joni Mitchell’s great Both Sides Now with Marvelly at the piano was a nice touch.
The NZSO played their orchestral brackets with zest and style; the music was not too demanding and the players were clearly enjoying themselves throughout.
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