QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND NAB PRESENT

WORLDBEAT

(NOT) THE LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS THU 23 JUN 7.30PM Brisbane City Hall

Conductor Guy Noble Tenor David Hobson Brisbane Chorale, directed by Emily Cox

PROGRAM NOTES BEETHOVEN Overture to Coriolan Op.62

MORRICONE The Mission, Nella Fantasia

LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 in D minor

DONIZETTI L'elisir d'amore, Una furtiva lagrima

BORODIN Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor

BART Reviewing the Situation from Oliver

WOOD arr. Lawson Fantasy on British Sea Songs

ARNE Rule, Britannia!

PARRY Jerusalem

ELGAR Pomp and Circumstance No.1 in D Major

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PROGRAM (Not) the Last Night of the Proms

The Proms, an eight-week summer festival of concerts held in and around the Royal Albert Hall in London, hosts dozens of international artists, ensembles and orchestras in the course of over 70 concerts. The Last Night of the Proms has been the most popular part of the festival for over half a century, and every year the BBC broadcasts it to millions around the world. Beethoven composed the Coriolan Overture in 1807 at the same time as he was working on the Fifth Symphony, and both are characterised by the same immense, heroic striving against powerful, adverse forces. The inspiration for its creation came after the composer saw a play based on Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, about a Roman soldier who is exiled from the city and returns at the head of an army. Nella Fantasia (In My Fantasy) is a song based on an instrumental piece written in 1985 by the famed Italian film composer Ennio Morricone for the film The Mission. In the late 1990s, the English crossover soprano Sarah Brightman begged Morricone to allow her to arrange it for voice, in which form it has since become one of his most well-known pieces. Originally the second in a set of 19 rhapsodies for piano written in 1847, within a few years Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 had achieved massive popularity, prompting him to arrange it for full orchestra.

PROGRAM NOTES It takes the form of a csárdás, a capricious Hungarian folk dance in two parts; the first slow, dark and dramatic, and the second much faster and wilder. Una furtiva lagrima (A furtive tear), one of Donizetti’s best-known arias, is a romanza for tenor from the second act of his opera L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love). Here a poor country boy named Nemorino believes the tear he has seen in the eye of the rich girl he loves is a sign that the love potion he drank has worked its magic (in reality it was red wine), and he swoons at the thought of being with her. Borodin’s opera Prince Igor remained unfinished at his death in 1887, but The Polovtsian Dances taken from the opera have since become his most famous piece. Its exotic melodies and harmonies vividly capture the atmosphere of the ancient Russian steppe. Oliver!, Lionel Bart’s musical adaption of the Dickens novel Oliver Twist, has been hugely successful ever since its first run in the West End in 1960. It follows the escapades of an orphan boy’s run-in with a gang of young thieves, taught and led by a wily old criminal named Fagin. In Reviewing the Situation, Fagin bewails his lot and wonders if he could ever live an honest life. The Fantasy on British Sea Songs was arranged by Sir Henry Wood for the Last Night of the Proms in 1905 to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Trafalgar, which it follows from the viewpoint of a British sailor. In his autobiography, Wood admitted to relishing the race that always ensues between audience and orchestra:

‘The young Promenaders stamp their feet in time to the hornpipe – that is until I whip up the orchestra into a fierce accelerando which leaves behind all those whose stamping technique is not of the first quality. I like to win by two bars if possible, but sometimes have to be content with a bar and a half’. Rule, Britannia! was originally part of a masque written by Thomas Arne in 1740 honouring the Anglo-Saxon king Alfred the Great. The song is actually an exhortation to naval greatness, rather than a celebration of it (‘rule’ not ‘rules’), but it has since become a paean to Victorian maritime power. Hubert Parry set the words of Blake’s Jerusalem to music exactly 100 years ago, not long after ANZAC troops reached the British army in France and Belgium. It is one of England’s most popular patriotic songs; George V was so overwhelmed by Elgar’s orchestration of the setting that he preferred it to God Save the King. The first and most famous of the five Pomp and Circumstance marches was penned in 1901. The tune of the trio section, to which the words of A.C. Benson’s poem Land of Hope and Glory were later added, is perhaps Elgar’s most well-known and wellloved piece of music. Alongside Jerusalem, it vies in contention for England’s unofficial national anthem. Douglas Rutherford © 2016

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BIOGRAPHIES

Guy Noble

David Hobson

Guy Noble is one of Australia’s most versatile conductors and musical entertainers, conducting and presenting concerts with all the major Australian orchestras and performers such as The Beach Boys, Yvonne Kenny, David Hobson, Ben Folds, Dianne Reeves, Randy Newman, and Clive James.  He has cooked live on stage with Maggie Beer and Simon Bryant (The Cook, The Chef and the Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony) appeared as Darth Vader (The Music of John Williams, Sydney Symphony) and might be the only person to have ever sung the Ghostbusters theme live on stage accompanied by The Whitlams (Queensland Symphony Orchestra). Guy is a regular guest presenter on ABC Classic FM, conducted La Boheme throughout Queensland with (Opera Queensland and QSO), hosts and accompanies Great Opera Hits (Opera Australia) writes a column for Limelight Magazine, presents the inflight classical channels on Qantas, Air China, China Airlines and Gulf Air, and is very pleased to be back as host of QSO’s Music of Sundays Series in 2016.

David Hobson began his operatic career with Victoria State Opera as Rodolfo in La bohème and Frederic in the Broadway version of The Pirates of Penzance.  The following year he debuted with The Australian Opera as Perchik (Fiddler on the Roof) and Lawrence in the world premiere of Brian Howard's Whitsunday.  In the same year he was awarded the Dame Joan Sutherland Scholarship. He debuted internationally in 1994 with San Francisco Opera.

Conductor

Tenor

Much in demand as a concert performer and recitalist, he frequently appears in oratorios such as Handel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and orchestral works like Britten’s Serenade for Tenor and Horn and Zender’s powerful interpretation of Schubert’s Winterreise. Solo concerts include A Little Closer (Sydney Opera House Concert Hall/2008) and Am I Really Here? (Adelaide Cabaret Festival/2010). He is an impressively versatile artist and composer, awards include Operatic Performer of the Year/MO Awards, Sydney Critic’s Circle Award for Rodolfo and Orphée, The Age Performing Arts Award (Best Performer in Opera) and an ARIA award. Recent albums include You’ll Never Walk Alone (with Teddy Tahu Rhodes), Singing for Love (with Yvonne Kenny), Best of David Hobson (ABC Classics) and Broadway to La Scala (with Greta Bradman, Lisa McCune and Teddy Tahu Rhodes).

PROGRAM (Not) the Last Night of the Proms 3

BIOGRAPHIES

Brisbane Chorale Directed by Emily Cox

Brisbane Chorale, a symphonic choir of over 100 voices, has been under the leadership of Emily Cox since 2003. The Chorale has a reputation for outstanding choral performance and collaborates with major orchestras, choirs and performance organisations. Its extensive repertoire spans music from the baroque to the present day, and includes Australian and world premieres. The Chorale has participated regularly in the 4MBS Festival of Classics, with memorable performances including Verdi’s Requiem, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, and most recently Rachmaninov’s The Bells in the grand opening concert of

the 2016 4MBS Festival. It has commissioned works and recorded for Move Records and ABC Classics. For over two decades the Chorale has performed in the Queensland Performing Arts Trust’s Spirit of Christmas concerts and has collaborated over the years with Queensland Youth Symphony which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. The Chorale is privileged to be the host choir, coordinating a large choral force for the QYS performance of the Berlioz Te Deum on 20 August. For information see the website: brisbanechorale.org.au

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QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PATRON His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, Governor of Queensland MUSIC DIRECTOR DESIGNATE Alondra de la Parra SOLOIST-IN-RESIDENCE Nikolai Demidenko ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Natalia Raspopova CONDUCTOR LAUREATE Johannes Fritzsch CONDUCTOR EMERITUS Werner Andreas Albert ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER Alan Smith VIOLIN 1 Rebecca Seymour^, Lynn Cole, Ceridwen Jones, Ann Holtzapffel, Stephen Phillips, Joan Shih, Brenda Sullivan, Stephen Tooke, Brynley White VIOLIN 2 Gail Aitken~, Jane Burroughs, Faina Dobrenko, Simon Dobrenko, Delia Kinmont, Natalie Low, Helen Travers VIOLA Bernard Hoey=, Jann Keir-Haantera+, Kirsten Hulin-Bobart, Helen Poggioli, Graham Simpson, Nicholas Tomkin CELLO David Lale~, Katherine Philp+, Matthew Jones, Kaja Skorka, Craig Allister Young DOUBLE BASS Dushan Walkowicz=, Justin Bullock+, Anne Buchanan, Paul O’Brien FLUTE Hayley Radke=, Monika Koerner, Stephanie Vici OBOE Huw Jones~, Alexa Murray COR ANGLAIS Vivienne Brooke* CLARINET Brian Catchlove+, Kate Travers BASS CLARINET Macarthur Clough^

BASSOON David Mitchell>>, Evan Lewis CONTRABASSOON Claire Ramuscak* FRENCH HORN Malcolm Stewart~, Peter Luff>>, Vivienne Collier-Vickers, Melanie Simpson TRUMPET Sarah Butler~, Richard Madden>>, Mark Bremner, Paul Rawson TROMBONE Jason Redman~, Dale Truscott>> BASS TROMBONE Tom Coyle* TUBA Thomas Allely* HARP Jill Atkinson* TIMPANI Tim Corkeron* PERCUSSION David Montgomery~, Josh DeMarchi>>, Lucas Gordon, Andrew Knox, Angus Wilson ORGAN Christopher Wrench^ ~ Section Principal = Acting Section Principal >> Associate Principal + Acting Associate Principal * Principal ^ Acting Principal QSO's Music Director designate is proudly supported by Timothy Fairfax AC. The Soloist-in-Residence program is supported by the T & J St Baker Charitable Trust. The Assistant Conductor program is supported through the Johannes Fritzsch Fund and Symphony Services International.

BRISBANE CHORALE SOPRANO Merrilyn Banks, Janita Billingham, Rachael Bloomer, Rachel Bond, Helyn Brockman, Tracy Carthew, Linda Chen, Leanne Coombe, Ruth Gabriel, Diana Grima, Jackie Horne, Barbara Howarth, Catherine Hunter, Naomi Klazinga, Amy Korschmin, Wendy Low, Sylvia MacDonald, Sandra Nissen, Mary Parker, Catherine Penington, Diane Powell, Debbie Price, Joanne Rynja, June Sadler, Emily Steel, Anita Stehbens, Louise Strasser, Beverley Sykes, Marijke Taylor, Virna Trout, Megan van Schie, Larissa Zavialov ALTO Joan Amorsen, Louise Baldwin, Jeanette Carroll, Kerrel Casey, Maria Chappell, Elene Claire, Cathy Clancy, Ruth Cox, Gillian Eastgate, Mary Hartley, Lynn Haughey, Stephanie Johnson, Alanna Kelly, Rose Lane, Kate McDonald, Kathy Meggitt,

Marjorie Milliken, Gabrielle Nemeth-Taylor, Frances Owen, Karen Pedley, Bron Postlethwaite, Muriel Simmons, Lyn Stern, Noelene Stock, Flo Wadley, Helen Walker, Louise Wilson TENOR Jill Anderson, Ian Clarkson, Bill Colbrahams, Jeff Duddridge, Alan Ereaut, Troy Fonopo, Chris Hall, Warren Ham, Paul Kennedy, Stephen Kershaw, David Keyt, Murray Massey, Sven Roehrs, John Yen BASS Graham Bungate, Colin Galbraith, Ian Graham, Glynn Griffiths, Max Hay, Peter Kennedy, Robin Kleinschmidt, Geoffrey Lomas, James McKeon, Donald Murray, Graham Nielson, Alex Ogle, Toni Reverter-Gomez, Darryl Rosin, Eddie Smith, Ian Symes, Colin Taylor, Pelu Veikoso, John Whitehouse

The WorldBeat Series is proudly presented by NAB and supported by Brisbane City Council. PROGRAM (Not) the Last Night of the Proms

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