BY JESSICA CARRASCALÃO HEARD
Gala Concert
Melbourne International Festival of Lieder and Art Song
Melba Hall, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, 13 July
After five days of intensive lieder and art song masterclasses led by pianist Dr Graham Johnson and baritone Dr Stephen Varcoe, the Melbourne International Festival of Lieder and Art Song 2018 last week came to a captivating end.
The MIFLAS Gala Concert featured performances from some of the stand-out participants at the festival, with lieder mentor Dr Johnson compèring as well as accompanying some of the singers.
What unfolded was not a bare, one-dimensional showcase of talent. Instead, it could only be described as a compelling storybook of lieder, narrated by Dr Johnson, and richly illustrated by each performance.
After an awkwardly received applause following the first item, Dr Johnson asked that we hold our applause until the end of the half so that the program may be performed uninterrupted.
The first half of the concert was dedicated to Schubert. Not just his songs, but also the man; a narration of historical context and scenes in Schubert’s life wove together the kaleidoscope of his songs; the sublime, the deep, the sad, and the lighthearted.
Included in this set was Schubert’s rarely-heard melodrama Absheid von der Erde. Performed by Dr Varcoe and Dr Johnson, it was a strange-yet-enjoyable experience for a modern listener, with von Wiesborn’s text spoken expressively and rhythmically over a gentle Schubertian accompaniment.
The second half worked in a similar way to the first but, rather than concentrating on one composer, the development of lieder by Schubert’s successors was explored. From Mendelssohn through to Schumann, Brahms, and finally Mahler, Dr Johnson drew the audience through the development of the art form, and the historical contexts and background of each composer and their work.
The repertoire was wonderfully and expressively executed across the board, with a stand-out performance from mezzo-soprano Nicole Mealey, performing with Dr Johnson. Together, they brought the official program to a sublime, captivating close, with an emotional yet poised performance of Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen from Mahler’s Rükert-Lieder.
But this wasn’t the close of the festival; there was one last page left in the storybook.
At the very end, Dr Varcoe joined Dr Johnson on the stage, and in honour of MIFLAS director Patricia Price, they performed To Lizbie Brown from Finzi’s Earth and Air and Rain.
Through Finzi’s notes and Thomas Hardy’s text, they delivered an evocative performance that exemplified the principles they had spent the week imparting to the festival’s participants: to perform song collaboratively, and with respect, genuine emotion, deep knowledge and passion.
A fitting end to a successful festival.
Images supplied.
