Review by Sarah Skubala
The regular theatregoer would normally expect to see the orchestra tucked away under the stage, mostly out of sight in the pit. But Dreams & Stories saw the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) take centre stage and celebrated in full musical glory in a family-friendly, one-off concert as part of their Music on Sundays program. Featuring a mix of lighter classical works brought together by a common theme, Dreams & Stories explored the storytelling power of music in its various forms through theatre, ballet, cinema and musical landscapes across history and culture. As a matinee concert with a total run time of ninety minutes, Dreams & Stories was an excellent way for older generations to introduce live classical music to the next generation.
Making her debut with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra was Austrian conductor Katharina Wincor, who was joined by Concertmaster Alan Smith. The program, available for download in advance and free at the theatre, included an orchestra ‘map’ and other rudimentary information for the novice concertgoer. The program’s listening guide was a great companion to the event’s onstage host, Ashleigh Denning, who introduced the pieces and provided fun facts about each work.
The first piece was the Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21 by Felix Mendelssohn, and it was a delight to listen to this piece again after enjoying Queensland Ballet’s production earlier in the year. It was intriguing to learn that Mendelssohn wrote the overture when he was 17 years old and conducted the first British performance in 1829. After that concert, Thomas Attwood was given the score for safekeeping but left it in a taxi and it was lost forever. Fortunately, Mendelssohn rewrote the overture years later entirely from memory.
A highlight from Dreams & Stories was Harry’s Wondrous World from the film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, composed by John Williams. This piece, which is essentially the music played over the film’s end credits, truly evoked something magical upon hearing it live, and it was a delight to watch the harp spring to life, played by Remi Hirayama. Williams composed the scores for the first three Harry Potter films and because of him, millions of people who’ve never set foot in a concert hall know what a symphony orchestra sounds like.
Other pieces performed at the concert included Johann Strauss Jr’s Tales from the Vienna Woods, Op. 325, the 1919 version of Igor Stravinsky’s Suite from The Firebird, and Peter Sculthorpe’s Kakadu featuring didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton as a soloist. A snippet of Barton’s Sky Songs was also performed featuring Glenn Barry and Mark Williams, also on didgeridoo. Together the repertoire delivered a lively and transportive concert experience.
The next Music on Sundays will be in October and is titled Vignettes: A Morning in France. Other notable highlights on the QSO calendar include Cinematic which will feature music from many much-loved films including Interstellar. Dreams & Stories was a highly enjoyable way to spend a Sunday and a worthy venture in support of the live music experience.
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