Lynne's Theatre Notes

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/unsent-love-letters-live-at-lunch/ UNSENT LOVE LETTERS: MEDITATIONS ON ERIK SATIE – DELICIOUS SEPTEMBER 21, 2018   LYNNE LANCASTER Elena & Tamara This image: Photo Credit Stephen Godbee                                                                                                               Featured Image: Photo Credit: Chris Donaldson 2017 The latest in the delicious series of Live at Lunch concerts under the artistic direction of internationally renowned flautist  Jane Rutter was entitled UNSENT LOVE LETTERS: MEDITATIONS ON ERIK SATIE  for all us romantics at heart.  This time the two friends joining her were  Tamara – Anna Cislow...

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/willoughby-symphony-passion/#more-55407 WILLOUGHBY SYMPHONY: PASSION – MARVELLOUS! SEPTEMBER 18, 2018   LYNNE LANCASTER 1 COMMENT David Fung – Piano PASSION : This latest marvellous concert by the Willoughby Symphony was passionately , energetically conducted by  Dr Nicholas Milton  was unusual as it began with the encores ( because of the atmosphere of  Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 6 which was the second half of the concert). So to start with , we heard a zippingly breathlessly  fast  trepak  from  Tchaikovsky’s   The   Nutcracker  at breakneck speed ( impossible to dance to at that tempo – almost impossible to play ! ) hugely enjoyed (and repeated) . First was  Shimmering Blue  by this year’s Composer in Residence  Nigel Westlake . It was written in 2003 for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s 75 th  birthday celebrations. It has a glittering pulsatin...

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/transforming-strauss-mozart-aco/#more-55482 TRANSFORMING STRAUSS AND MOZART – AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SEPTEMBER 21, 2018   LYNNE LANCASTER This particular concert by the ACO, as curated by cellist Timo-Veikko Valve,  with various arrangements for a string septet , developed themes expressing desire and aching loss spanning centuries . The first half began with  DOWLAND’s  exquisite ,refined and flowing Lachrimæ Antiquæ   a variation on his much loved   Lachrymae pavane.  It was pure but cold with intensely woven harmonies . WAGNER’s  (arr. Sebastian Gürtler) romantic, swirling, passionate  Prelude to Tristan und Isolde  came next with its lush multilayered opening , use of portamento  (sliding the finger to glide from one pitch to another  shimmering fluttering strings and delicate cello  all full of rich tension . BACH  s’  Ricercar 6 from A Musical Of...

https://performing.artshub.com.au/news-article/reviews/performing-arts/lynne-lancaster/review-death-by-soprano-riverside-theatres-256610 Isabel Hertaeg is terrific in a production perfect for opera fans and those new to the artform alike. Sopranos must die: it is one of the unstated but accepted rules of opera as an art form. This show, devised and performed by Isabel Hertaeg, is a witty, alphabetical romp through various ways sopranos can die (A is for avalanche, P is for poison, S is for suicide, etc). Musically it ranges from Puccini, Wagner and Janacek to Poulenc and Rimsky Korsakov – to name just some of the composers – and it is performed in several different languages. Hertaeg has soprano envy – ever since childhood she has aspired to be an operatic soprano – but this passion is tempered by the worrying fact that, as we learn, the average lifespan of a soprano is roughly two and a half hours (on stage at least). Hertaeg has a theory – if she can work out what k...

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/julie-nt-live-sharmill-films/ JULIE: NT LIVE – VEXES AND PERPLEXES SEPTEMBER 27, 2018   LYNNE LANCASTER This new version of Strindberg’s classic as presented by the National Theatre in London is intense and disturbing with sensational performances . From 19 th  Century Sweden  Polly Stenham  and  Carrie Cracknell have updated it to now in London with mobile phones,sex drugs and alcohol. It is a challenging production , brilliantly acted , that vexes and perplexes . It is not pleasant to watch and is not intended to be.It freshly examines the issues raised in the play of power , race , control and class divisions , from today’s perspective and also with a feminist slant . Tom Scutt’s  set (a huge , sleekly white kitchen) is in the basement , all clean white soft-close cupboards , large elegant blinds and softly , tastefully exposed concrete .We see Jean the black chauffeur and his Brazilian fiancée Kristi...

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/potted-potter-seymour-centre/#more-55500 POTTED POTTER AT THE SEYMOUR CENTRE SEPTEMBER 21, 2018   LYNNE LANCASTER Grab your wand and Wizarding robes, Accio your ticket and Apparate to the Seymour Centre for the return season of the wonderful POTTED POTTER . It has been touring internationally to enormous acclaim since 2005 . Described as ‘ The Unauthorised Harry Potter Experience’ , it is a charming, witty and affectionate parody, enchanting fun, condensing all seven books in the enormously popular series by JK Rowling into 70 minutes, and includes snippets of dance, special effects , humour , audience participation ( and Quidditch! ) to create a hugely delightful experience for both witches wizards and Muggles . There’s a rather light plot that threads through the narrative of POTTED POTTER . The show begins with  Scott Hoatson  on stage reading waiting at platform 9& ¾ while Dan Clarkson moves among the aud...

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/classic-spring-companys-an-ideal-husband/ AN IDEAL HUSBAND : A WILDE CLASSIC REVISITED OCTOBER 14, 2018   LYNNE LANCASTER Oscar Wilde’ s play AN IDEAL HUSBAND premiered in 1895 .This new production, part of the Wilde season by Classic Spring Company was filmed earlier this year at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End.  It transfers excellently from stage to screen. Directed by  Jonathan Church  mostly it seems as relevant as if it was written yesterday, with its scheming, plotting and hidden potential scandals of political financial meddling and corruption. It is tautly structured with several complicated plot twists. Other issues Wilde raises include women’s position in society, class divisions and the forgiveness of past errors, and the damage of ruining lives of great value to society because of people’s hypocritical reactions to those acts . Church  has a fabulous creative team and a magnificent cast. ...

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/willoughby-symphony-orchestra-in-their-latest-concert-discovery/#more-56989 WILLOUGHBY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT : DISCOVERY @ THE CONCOURSE OCTOBER 29, 2018   LYNNE LANCASTER The latest in this year’s series of concerts by Willoughby Symphony Orchestra , entitled DISCOVERY opened on a sombre note with Dr Nicholas Milton making the sad announcement of the passing of legendary inspirational conductor and educator Richard Gill. Tributes and very moving short speeches were made . Dr Milton  conducted energetically and precisely and the Orchestra was in magnificent, glowing form. The concert opened with Composer in Residence  Nigel Westlake’s Cudmirrah Fanfare  which listeners might be familiar with from the 1980’s when it was used as the theme music for ABC Radio National. It was flowing and vibrant with its stirring, surging melody. The Orchestra was large in number, and there was an augmented percussion section for th...