CULTURAL PENANG

NOW I DON'T PRETEND TO BE A CLASSICAL BUFF, but I do appreciate good music when I hear it, and I have to tell you last Sunday's Pro Musica Gala Concert, organised as part of the month-long George Town Festival, was fantastic. It made a pleasant change to see such koolcha (culture) in Penang.

We went along as guests of Festival Director Joe Sidek, and although it wasn't exactly overbooked, there were enough people there to fill the big hall at the Dewan Sri. As always with Penang events, it started late, but once it did it was well worth the wait. What a wonderful evening.

There were actually three parts to the whole programme, which culiminated in the Gala Concert: firstly a 10-day International Workshop and Master Class by local lady Loh Siew Tuan who was the Principal Voice Coach. The workshop was held at the Bellevue Hotel in Penang Hill. After that the specially selected students performed at a concert.

The piece de resistance was the Gala Concert in which the 18-odd students were given the opportunity to sing with an international cast:

Soprano JULIE MOSSAY from Belgium, Mezzo-Soprano INES MAEIRA from Portugal, Tenor Enrico Casari from Italy and Bass-Baritone KITTINANT CHINSAMRAN who is Thai. They were ALL bloody brilliant, as they say in England, and it was delightful to see such talent in Penang. How I envy the women the ability to control their vocal chords, and I particularly delighted in the duets. They performed a fair few pieces from famous composers like Bellini, Handel and Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutti.

However the piece which made me almost want to cry, it was so beautifully sung, was 'l'Elisir d'amore" (Elixir of Love) by Donizetti, a funny melodrama, and Enrico was absolutely stunning. I really wish I could have recorded it; he injected so much love and longing into it. Bravo, I say, bravo.

The finale was Bizet's famous "Carmen", and here Kittinant was given the chance to show his beautiful baritone to the fullest, including an encore in which the audience joined in. Wunderbar!

Although there was a LOT of hard work from everyone, not least of all the students who provided background vocals, special mention must be made of pianist HEIN BOTERBERG who accompanied all the singers. Probably worked the hardest.

Oh, it makes me so proud to see all this wonderful talent is around ... and also sad that I will never be able to achieve anything like that in my lifetime!! Well done chaps. And to Joe Sidek, please bring them back again next year. I never want to miss another evening like that!