Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
March/April 2007

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Intimate Opera Evening at St Michael's

by Anthony Gardiner

Shout as you journey on,
Songs be in every mouth,
Lo, from the North they come,
From East and West and South.....

The evening of January 27th saw this verse of the hymn Little Cornard come to life within the newly decorated interior of St Michael's church. There is a lot to shout about at St Michael's these days with the licence now granted to use the newly built Community Centre, snugly tucked into the south-east corner of the church. What better way could there be to celebrate this occasion than to bring opera singers from all corners of the globe to perform an 'intimate' evening in the splendour of this Gothic Revival House. It says a lot for the energy and drive of these performers, let alone the organisers and stage managers of this event, that the intimacy of the atmosphere kept the audience in warm rapture from beginning to end.

Beginning with three excerpts from Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, Robert Gleadow (bass) from Canada, and Ana James (soprano) from New Zealand, settled us down with assured technique and charming phrasing before thrusting us into the dark menace of Eugene Onegin. Robert Murray, (tenor) introduced the doomed character of Lensky with the aria Kuda vy udalilis, his youthful vulnerability threatened by the sinister entrance of Onegin just below the high altar. Jeffrey Black demonstrated in that authoritative positioning his ability to command a stage infinitely larger than the confines of St Michael's chancel. For me, this was the defining moment of the evening. The 'concert hall' held its breath in anticipation of that certain expectation that only high opera can give. We were not to be disappointed. It was as if Black's voice and commanding presence allowed the other performers to relax and excel.

By the time the second half began the audience were as alive as the singers. Jeffrey Black's opening aria, Cortigiani, raised a cheer to test the rafters, and later Ana James, finding her full and finely controlled range with the aria Caro nome, made the stained glass windows sing with joy. Robert Murray, not to be outdone, rounded off the sublime trio with La donna e mobile with confidant swagger and melodic grace. Don Giovanni cleverly segued into the beautiful final scene from The Marriage of Figaro introducing Jan Black as a Countess to ignore at your peril. This delightful programme allowed us songs from "every mouth" as the two presenters, Jan Black and Emma Cartwright (briefly, but beautifully in the final Brindisi from La traviata) took the stage as well. To round off the evening Jeffrey Black demonstrated his versatility by mesmerising his audience with Stars from the Musical Les Miserables, and Robert Gleadow knocked our socks off with a very individual, and powerful rendition of Ol' Man River from Showboat. I hope this young singer leads a revival in the world of the basso profundo, his voice belies his youthful frame and wraps you around with its resonance. A final mention for the pianist. It is a rare gift for an accompanist to do just that, whilst excelling in sympathetic style and understanding of the score. Richard Hetherington, a member of the music staff at Covent Garden allowed himself the supreme accolade, that of enhancer of talent. I cannot thank him enough for single-handedly making the evening a triumph. One last word to the audience. If you are tempted to 'shout as you journey on' please remember St Michael's is in a residential area.

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