JUKE BOX 2 (Royal Opera)*****

 

 By Tommy

Link: https://stream.roh.org.uk/packages/jukebox-2/videos/jukebox-2

Available until: Sunday 29^th December 2020

Earlier in the week, the Jette Parker Young Artists (plus one former member of the Programme) performed in Juke Box 1. Each Young Artist sang the opening of three different arias or songs and audience voted on youtube and facebook for their favourite. The winning songs were all performed in full in the Jukebox 2 concert.

Some of our younger bloggers took it in turn to review the three song extracts, each also making their own choice about which song they most wanted to see in Juke Box 2. Their favourites were chosen on four of the eight occasions, which is an exceptionally good return, and nobody was truly unhappy as they found it difficult to choose in the first place.

The vote has resulted in a wonderfully-varied concert, featuring music in several styles and in five languages. Our young bloggers will now return to review their particular singer.

 

German Alcantara – reviewed by Cal

O vin dissipe la tristesse from Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas

German is an incredible singer and I’d have been happy with any of the choices, but it’s nice that so many of the public made the same choice as me. This was gorgeously-sung with wonderful characterisation. Michael Papadopolous accompanies the aria really sensitively and does really well to produce so many of the colours of a full orchestra.

 

Alexandra Lowe – reviewed by Alan

So we’ll go no more a-roving by Valerie White

This wasn’t the one I chose. My choice was the least favourite. But I do really like this song and it’s nice hearing a song in English because I can understand all the words. There are subtitles but it’s nice to hear the words too and know where you are in the song. I really liked the way the song continued (we only heard the opening before) so I’m glad I got to hear it. It was really emotional and well acted and I think I might have chosen this one if I’d known how it went.

 

Blaise Mataba – reviewed by Louise

Se il cor guerriero from Tito Manilo by Vivaldi

Mr Mataba is a brilliant singer and I loved all his arias but it does make me happy that the public voted the same way as me! This is such a beautiful, powerful aria. I love the way Mr Mataba sings it so much in character, even in concert. It really makes me want to listen to or watch the whole opera and it definitely makes me want to hear more of Mr Mataba’s singing.

 

Filipe Manu- reviewed by Arran

Efiati, peau ongo’I vale by Tatu

This is even better than I remembered. It is a really emotional performance which feels like a really personal response to the music. Filipe Manu accompanies himself really beautifully on the ukulele. It is really nice to hear different styles of music in an opera house.

 

Ksenia Nikolaeva – reviewed by Imogen

Mon coeur s’ouvre a ta voix from Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saens

I think the public made the right choice. All Ksenia’s performances were good but this is a very beautiful aria and it was a very sensual performance. It was also really nice to see the performance up-close and see that Ksenia’s acting is as good as her voice. I usually prefer sopranos like me but Ksenia has a very beautiful voice and she wore another lovely dress.

 

Andres Presna – reviewed by Jack

Te Quiero by Favero

This is slushy but it is possible for a piece of music to be slushy and very well sung. Apparently there aren’t many Spanish operas so it’s good to hear some Spanish music at the Royal Opera. There’s lots of emotion and Andres’ voice sounds good.

 

Stephanie Wake-Edwards – reviewed by Megan

Pauline’s Romance from The Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky

I loved all Ms Wake-Edwards’ performances but this was my choice so I’m especially excited to hear this one. She said in Juke Box 1 that she hates going last but she’s used to it because she’s last alphabetically. But she doesn’t have to go last this time! It’s a really beautiful aria and it’s especially nice to hear it in a concert. In the opera it’s a song Pauline sings to entertain people so it’s probably not an expression of her real feelings. But in a concert you kind of forget all about the setting and you just listen to the actual aria and it is a really passionate and emotional one which is very beautifully performed.

 

Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha – reviewed by Angel

 Toi qui sus le neant from Don Carlo by Giuseppe Verdi

There haven’t been many songs chosen for this concert that are from really famous operas. Even I’ve heard of Don Carlo. So this is a good song to end on, an aria which most people probably know and it seems like an exciting one with lots of changes of dynamics, tempo and key. Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha is a really good singer. She does a lot of modern music and she’s good at that but she does the more traditional opera just as well.