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Britten-Pears Showcase and Samling Concerts at the Wigmore Hall November/December 2005 The Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme and the Samling Foundation are two organisations dedicated to providing training for young artists in the early stages of their professional careers. Both have recognised the need to provide somewhere for them to experiment, try out new repertoire and collaborations, a sympathetic environment in which they can work, perform and, above all, be inspired. The Britten-Pears Programme has recently launched Aldeburgh Residencies, the Samling is based in the North East with strong links to the Sage Gateshead where the Foundation produced its first opera last year. They have both recently come to the Wigmore Hall in London to show off the fruits of their work and demonstrate just what masterclasses and that vital link with established international artists can achieve. Britten-Pears Showcase 22 November 2005 Elizabeth Watts soprano Iestyn Davies countertenor Philip Langridge tenor Robin Tritschler tenor Nicholas Rimmer piano Roger Vignoles piano Britten Four Burns Songs from A Birthday Hansel Op 92 Purcell Three Divine Hymns Britten Sechs Holderlin-Fragmente Op 61 Bridge Where She Lies Asleep; All Things that we clasp; Golden Hair Maconchy Sun, Moon and Stars Britten Canticle II Abraham and Isaac Op 51
The Britten-Pears Showcase was appropriately presented on St Cecilia's Day, Benjamin Britten's birthday, with four young artists being joined by tenor Philip Langridge and pianist Roger Vignoles who both taught masterclasses in Aldeburgh in 2005 and gave additional coaching for the showcase.
Their recital focused on the work of Britten and fellow British composers, and began with Britten's Four Burns Songs from A Birthday Hansel . Roger Vignoles launched into this sprightly music with soprano Elizabeth Watts, whose concert career is really beginning to take off. In the second half of the programme she chose Elizabeth Maconchy's short song cycle Sun, Moon and Stars . It's a relatively late work based on the poems and meditations of 17 th century mystic Thomas Traherne, and is unusual in that the first and last of the four songs are settings of prose passages. Testing out this sort of neglected repertoire is just what the Programme is about, the songs were clearly new to a fair proportion of the audience and their fine presentation all the more appreciated accordingly.
The second singer of the evening was counter-tenor Iestyn Davies giving a very polished account of Purcell's Three Divine Hymns . This time the pianist was Nicholas Rimmer, a sensitive and accomplished musician and a name to watch out for he and Roger Vignoles continued to alternate throughout the evening. The third young singer was Irish tenor Robin Trischler, who has performed recitals all over Europe and America . His contributions were well chosen: Britten's Six Holderlin Fragments Die Heimat came over particularly appealingly, and three songs by Frank Bridge .
The stage was set from the moment the singers stepped onto the platform, Philip Langridge in sombre black and Iestyn Davies in simple white shirtsleeves, their age difference clearly apparent. Their voices combined to issue God's forthright demand for Abraham to sacrifice his son before they assumed their individual roles in the words and stage directions of the Chester Miracle Play. When Isaac knelt to seek his father's final blessing the tension in the hall was spellbinding. Roger Vignoles coaxed out the piano accompaniment, with its evocation of a peal of bells, at the moment of deliverance relief flooded the audience and it was an occasion that will be long remembered.
Samling Concert 9 December 2005 Sir Thomas Allen baritone Katherine Manley soprano Anna Stephany mezzo-soprano Ed Lyon tenor Marc La bonn ette baritone Malcolm Martineau piano Simon Over piano
The Seasons: Hahn Le Prontemps; Greig Letzter Fruhling; Rachmaninov Spring Waters Berg Sommertage; Brahms Sommerfaden; Chaminade L'Ete Britten Now the leaves are falling fast; Faure Automne; Butterworth Bredon Hill Britten La Noel passee; The Choirmaster's Burial; R Strauss Weihnachtlied; Sterndale-Bennett The Carol Singers Mozart Act 1, Scenes I & II, (Cosi fan tutte) Britten Colloquy from Act II (Turn of the Screw) Thomas Legeres hirondelles (Mignon) Mozart Bei Mannern (Die Zauberflote) Berlioz Comment le dedain pourrait-il mourir (Beatrice and Benedict) Rossini Finale, Act 1 (Il Barbiere di Siviglia)
Sir Thomas Allen has led the Samling Foundation's masterclass programme from the beginning, and his influence could be felt throughout the evening, with Malcolm Martineau and Simon Over sharing the honours at the piano.
The first half of programme was devoted to song and had been conceived as a musical almanac, and the second devoted to operatic extracts and allowing the singers, alone or in combination, to show off the variety of their accomplishments.
Mezzo Anna Stephany opened proceedings with Reynaldo Hahn's evocation of Spring. Hers is a wonderfully rich voice, strong and expressive throughout its range and she really knows how to make full use of it. French repertoire seems to be her favourite, and as well as Hahn, her contributions encompassed works by Chaminade, Ambroise Thomas and Berlioz.
Next on stage was soprano Katherine Manley, the youngest of the singers in her final year at RCM. Her confidence grew through the evening and she gave an excellent showing both as Miss Jessel and Pamina.
Ed Lyon was singing despite a slight indisposition (not announced from the platform) which took a little of the crispness from his diction. His silky smooth tenor is developing some darker tones, well displayed in his Quint, and I thought Rachmaninov's fast moving Spring Waters suited him particularly well.
Last, but by no means least was French baritone Marc Labonette. He has a voice of real power, and he is a highly intelligent singer constantly seeking and often finding that extra nuance to distinguish his performances.
But of course it was the master who stole the show. At the end of the first half's winter collection Sir Tom limped onto the stage in coat and muffler as Sterndale- Bennett's Carol Singer. Words and accent count in a piece like that, but the real artistry lies in his ability to characterise it and to express each phrase as if reacting to a completely new idea that had just struck him.
The finale to the evening gave us all the singers combined in the Act One close of The Barber of Seville, fully characterised and with impressive ensemble a splendidly cheerful end to the evening.
© Serena Fenwick
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