BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
What do kangaroos, an elephant, and Julian Morrow have in common?
They’ll all make an appearance at this month’s Carnival of the Animals performed by Sydney’s Omega Ensemble.
Saint-Saëns’ 14 movement musical suite will be narrated by The Chaser’s witty news analyst Julian Morrow on August 15, City Recital Hall Angel Place. Julian gives us a few words ahead of the gig.
What was your first experience with classical music?
I guess it would have been through my parents’ record collection. I certainly have memories of my parents teaching me how to place a needle on vinyl properly. I wasn’t very good at it, and was responsible for a fair few scratches. So one of my first experiences with classical music was probably ruining it … hopefully that won’t be my experience with Omega Ensemble, for their sake.
What to you is the ideal way to experience classical music (live, glass of red, earplugs)?
I’ve always loved the expectant atmosphere of a live performance where the murmurs of a crowd mix with instruments tuning up. But I think my most intense experiences of classical music have been at home, late at night, probably – yes – with a glass of something, and usually when the emotion of the music intersects somehow with events in my life.
It may come as a surprise for some to see you in this role. How did you get into narrating this concert with the Omega Ensemble?
I assume someone more appropriate and better was unavailable.
Carnival of the Animals: fav bits?
I like the fact that Carnival of the Animals is a snappy, engaging series of little musical portraits. It suits my attention span, and the sense of fun – which is supercharged by the Ogden Nash poems – really appeals to me.
What can audiences expect from you as narrator?
I’ve never found a cultural institution that I couldn’t lower the tone of, and I’m sure this will be no different. Personally I find the idea of defamation law suit about a piece of classical music quite appealing …
Will your children come along to the event – and will they be bored to tears with classical music?
Both my kids are very young, plus they generally prefer avant-garde minimalism so I’m not sure they’ll make it. It’ll probably come down to how good the candy bar at Angel Place is.
Aside from music, you’ve spent so many years making your career out of comedy. How do you keep your sense of humour, and stay exciting for audiences for such a long time in your life?
If keeping your sense of humour involved any discipline or needed to be worked, I’m sure I would have lost it by now. It’s more a disposition, and I’m very lucky – and slightly mystified – that it’s something you can be paid to do and that only about two thirds of the Australian population has tired of us by now.
What’s next on the radar for you?
I’m hoping to add some humourous limericks to Wagner’s Ring Cycle.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention about the show?
Projects involving me and animals usually end well, so come along!
Julian Morrow will narrate the Omega Ensemble’s Carnival of the Animals on August 15 at the City Recital Hall Angel Place. For tickets go to www.cityrecitalhall.com/events/id/1525/Carnival-Francais/
Image supplied.
