Last Night of the Proms raises cash for RVI
Oct 19 2009 The Journal
Ashington-born opera singer Janice Cairns, resplendent in pink and a Proms performer since the early years, also spoke in appreciation of the concert, although she was bemused when audience members urged her to speak into a microphone.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been told I can’t be heard on stage,” said the soprano who, unaided by technology, has raised this roof on many occasions.
The Proms line-up is now richly endowed with solo operatic performers.
After Janice with a favourite aria from La Wally came Aussie Proms regular Blake Fischer with another from Rigoletto.
Bass Graeme Danby, who may have failed to sing Newcastle United into retaining Premier League status last season, is nevertheless a class act. Moving away from grand opera, he delivered a compelling performance of If I Were a Rich Man and later asked us to image a Bigg Market nightclub scene as he chatted up soprano Suzanne Manuell as a Geordie Don Giovanni – or, as he put it, “had a crack at the boiler”.
Full marks to Manuell for not missing a note – or clocking him one.
Baritone James Cleverton and Fischer performed the famous duet from The Pearl Fishers, so moving it struck the audience dumb.
And the same trick was performed by violinist Bradley Creswick with John Williams’ theme from the film Schindler’s List – although he later changed tempo dramatically with his favourite Gypsy music.
David Haslam conducted the English Philharmonic Orchestra and the choral wall of sound was provided by choirs from Ryton, Hexham and Bishopwearmouth, directed by David Murray.
Conductors Len Young and Richard Bloodworth returned to supervise a reprise of their popular 1812 Overture with “Geordie cannons” (ie paper bags popped by the audience when directed – and sometimes not).
This may have been the 20th Proms but it seems there is to be more of this money-raising malarkey. “See you on October 16 next year,” announced Rosalynde Walker on stage.
