Saturday, August 25, 2012

SCO's "The Glorious Lion City" in Review (18 Aug 2012)

Andrew Xiao attended the Singapore Chinese Orchestra's concert last week. Entitled Law Wai Lun's Concert - The Glorious Lion City,it is a multimedia event that inaugurates the new 2012/13 season and Mr. Law's new appointment as the orchestra's composer-in-residence. His review is presented in Chinese and English translation.


Honestly speaking, I have not attended a Singapore Chinese Orchestra performance for a long time, especially a multi-sensory extravaganza such as this one: a programme of (current composer-in-residence) Law Wai-Lun’s music entitled Law Wai Lun's Concert - The Glorious Lion City.

August also happens to be the month of our nation’s anniversary, and so such a presentation is especially apt. Law is one of Singapore’s pioneer batch of ‘new immigrants’, originating from Shanghai and a graduate of the prestigious Central Conservatory during the cultural revolution. He is the newly appointed composer-in-residence o the SCO.

The pieces that I most look forward to hearing are Sang Nila Utama and Singa and The Celestial Web. The former tells the tale of how the prince of the Srivijayan empire Sang Nila Utama discovered Singapore. It combines special lighting effects and traditional Javanese dance, presented by the Padnecwara Dance Group. Their graceful choreography with bows and spears took the audience’s breath away. This presentation alone is already worth the ticket price.

Since we are in the month of NDP celebrations, a medley of NDP songs is most appropriate.Lead vocalist presented We Are Singapore, One United People and Home (originally by Kit Chan). I feel that such songs require a large singalong crowd to generate a celebratory atmosphere. Due to the lack of audience numbers and their passivity, the performers were unable to spark a certain level of excitement.

The final piece The Celestial Web is composed for narrators, choir and Chinese orchestra. It is based on the poetry by cultural medallion winner Tan Swie-Hian. The piece is arranged in five movements, lastly a total of about 20 minutes. Mediacorp celebrity hosts Guo Liang and Xu Bing provided the narration, very well characterized and articulated. The choir sang well too, one can see the hard work they have put in. Maestro Yeh Tsung harnessed the collective forces into a single, wonderfully expressive whole. Coming after Sang Nila Utama and Singa, this one was the next most popular item judging by the audience's applause.

In all, this is a concert worthy of the word “glorious” in its title.


《罗伟伦专场音乐会:壮丽狮城》观感录 - 萧淳元

说真的,我很久没看新加坡华乐团的演出,尤其能听到大型的本地作品如此亮丽的登场。8月18日的《罗伟伦专场音乐会:壮丽狮城》就是一个很好的例子。

8月,也是新加坡的生日的月份,能逢月呈现本地作品,确实难得。因此,值得鼓励。据介绍,作曲家罗伟伦是我国的第一代的新移民,原籍上海。毕业于中央音乐学院。在毕业时,逢文革时期。1995年移居我国。现任新加坡华乐团的驻团作曲家。

在这场专场音乐会,呈现了《间奏曲》,令我很期待的作品是《王子与狮子》和《天网》。《王子与狮子》是根据我国的传说,印尼Srivijayan朝代王子Sang Nila Utama在打猎时发现新加坡的故事。作品结合了爪哇的宫廷舞蹈,华乐团,灯光特效。来自印尼的舞蹈团,邦尼瓦拉舞蹈团在这作品上演绎,令在座的观众们的惊叹。除了他们的优美的舞姿,他们还要用上弓和枪,来配合音乐的进展。加上能看到他们的华丽的舞服,确实可说是值得票价了。

在新加坡的国庆月份演出,当然少不了国庆主题曲了。由我国著名歌手Robert Fernando 演唱,头一首是 《We are Singapore》.这首爱国歌曲,是根据我国的誓约而写的。当晚,大家都因这曲,发誓了一下。第二首是《One United People》,第三是由陈洁仪原唱的《Home》。说句心理话,唱爱国歌,要逢地点,人数。因不够人,地方小,确是带动不来,虽然有这么好的歌手带唱。

最后结束的作品,《天网》是一部由朗诵,合唱,华乐团组成的一部作品。歌词取材于新加坡多才艺术大师,陈瑞献的现代诗。这诗的题材则源于《严华经》,总曲分五段,时间大约20半分钟。这次的朗诵,请来了新传媒的主持人阿哥阿姐,郭亮和徐冰。对于郭亮和徐冰而言,我本人觉得做为朗诵,十分称职,而且很到位。合唱团也唱得不错,能看出有下苦功。在曲子上,因有好的指挥,加上音乐素质很好的华乐团,把整首曲所要表达的,都做得非常好。这曲,也是除了《王子和狮子》外,另一个令人心动,掌声多的作品。

总结这次的演出,果然够壮丽!


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