SLO Childrens' Choir "Where Love Is"

The SLO Children's choir presents their annual concert Where Love Is at the Esplanade Concert Hall on 8 December 2012. Here's more info about the show:

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This Christmas season, the Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) presents an evening of festivity and music by the SLO Children’s Choir with the theme, Where Love Is. The concert will take place on 8 December 2012 at the Esplanade Concert Hall at 7:30 pm.

Included in the concert programme will be a group of 200 students from five secondary schools and one junior college, singing with the Children’s Choir as part of the newest SLO outreach initiative, the Singing For All programme. These students are members of the guest choirs from selected participating schools that have been invited. The SLO Children’s Choir and the guest choirs will sing two beautiful songs together, Shin-jiru by Ko Matsushita and Where you are by Paul Mealor. They will also join in with the audience sing-along.

A MESSAGE OF LOVE
Christmas is not only a season of joy, it is also a time of thanksgiving and goodwill and the programme has been specially chosen to convey this message of love and charity. The choir will be performing a diverse selection of modern repertoire and Christmas classics such as The Christmas song by Mel Torme & Robert Wells, Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! By Sammy Cahn & Jules Styne, Angel's Carol by John Rutter and many other beautiful songs for audience members to appreciate the meaning of the season. Audience members will also be able to participate in a sing--‐ along session with the choir after the concert.

A QUICK NOTE
Said Ms Ng Siew Eng, General Manager for the Singapore Lyric Opera, “The holiday season is a time of merriment and happiness that is celebrated with family and friends. It is also a good time to remind ourselves that this time of year is an opportunity to embrace a giving spirit. The joy we spread and share with others is often greatly returned. Therefore, we invite everyone to share in the holiday. Cheer with a concert that will showcase the true meanings of this special season.”

SINGING FOR ALL PROGRAMME OUTREACH – PROMOTING SINGING AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE
SLO’s newest initiative, the Singing For All programme, was devised to expose young people to singing. The initiative provides an avenue for students who enjoy singing to experience and learn a wide range of musical repertoire, to participate in additional workshops and training to develop vocal and leadership skills. We believe these additional learned skills help these young adults develop self-confidence in their abilities in daily life.

“The Singapore Lyric Opera feels that it is highly important for young people today to understand and appreciate the role that music plays in our general well being. Aside from wanting to cultivate a love of singing among our youth, this new initiative also aims to provide an inclusive environment so that they may have a more holistic learning experience. We at the SLO want to make a small difference to the lives of these young people. Invitations will be extended to schools to join our Singing For All programme,” Ms Ng continued.

Tickets for the concert are priced from $15 to $35 and can be purchased via the SISTIC website and telephone hotline or through authorized SISTIC agents.

Interview with Hossan Leong and Kumar (Crazy Christmas)

So like Dream Academy's Crazy Christmas opens this week in two versions: a family friendly one featuring Hossan Leong, followed by a naughty version featuring Kumar. The Mad Scene speaks to both artistes about what's different in each show. But first, a blurb from their press release:

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SLO Gala - "Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover" in Review

Singapore Lyric Opera - Opera Gala
23rd Novemeber 2012
Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore

Nancy Yuen, Cherylene Liew - sopranos
Anna Koor - mezzo-soprano
Singapore Lyric Opera Orchestra
Joshua Kangming Tan - conductor

A Review by Hawk Liu

You may have heard of the all male Welsh choir group called Only Men Aloud that won a talent contest. This concert could be called the 'No Men Allowed' opera gala. A break from the SLO's tradition of having many singers, male and female for their past gala concerts, this one surprised me with only 3 singers, all female. Titled Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover, it was a very enchanting and lovely concert for me.
Despite there just being 3 singers, they did no less in providing a classy performance of fine singing. Nancy Yuen's silvery tones served her well in her arias and duets which included Ach ich fühl's, Je ve vivre, Mira o Norma, Sull'aria and Belle nuit. The high melismas in Ach ich fühl's provided some excitement for sure. I love the coloratura in Je ve vivre too. Together with Anna Koor, we hear the quickest cabaletta of the Norma duet ever. Un bel di was truly enchanting and it was rewarded with a very warm applause.

Cherylene Liew has a lighter voice which curiously showed some solid tones in the middle range. O mio babbino caro was very lovely though somewhat reserved. Her Song to the Moon was also lovely. Sull'aria with Nancy was also lovely!

Anna Koor sounded somewhat 'Russian' - that's the best I could describe the solid, dark mezzo that night. Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix was delicious, and the high Bb at the end was firm as rock and exciting. I did wish she took a longer ritardando both times before she sings the chorus section but I suspect that was tricky when the orchestra didn't allow enough space for it there. Stride la vampa was well sung but somewhat restrained. Hmm... maybe it was just me that a few numbers in the concert sounded restrained even though they were well sung. Anna's duets included Belle nuit and Mira o Norma. The interesting piece of the night is the rarely sung What a movie from Trouble in Tahiti by Bernstein. The complete work was rendered a very, very long time ago in Singapore and I remembered sitting in the audience perhaps more that 20 or 25 years ago. The orchestra here was up to the challenges of the piece. Anna was totally competent in her assumption of the operatic-musical style that the piece required. Unfortunately, the piece was less successful just because it was one where the singer would definitely need a microphone to ride above the prominent brass and percussion. The concert hall is not always kind to the solo voice. The final trio from Rosenkavalier is always a crowd pleaser and it sure did please. One can do no wrong with this lovely piece of soaring lines from singers and instruments.

Just a word about the hall's acoustics. When the solo voices are alone, they sounded great, though the echo factor could be a tad too much, causing the voices to disperse in the hall, especially when the orchestra accompanies them. My conclusion is that orchestral sounds work well but voices (especially solo voices) disperse too much.

Back to the performers. The orchestra was a star in it own right, giving wonderful renditions of 4 orchestral pieces from operas. I was particularly ecstatic with the Madama Butterfly Act 2 intermezzo. We all have heard so many complete Butterflys and I must say the orchestra's playing of this piece was way up there for me. The Triumphant March (it was abridged, I noticed) from Aida was a joy. The prelude to Tristan und Isolde had a shaky start and it was just alright for me after that. Manon Lescaut's Intermezzo was warm and the solo bits in the beginning was brilliant. Besides  Butterfly's Intermezzo, which I consider the star piece of the orchestra, I must single out the excellent playing of the accompaniment to Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix. The elements of the piece came together so well and the seduction and romance was palpable. However, I did wish for a great ritardando before each chorus section, as mentioned above.

I am sure everyone went home happy that they witnessed a lovely concert and I look forward to the next one. But before that, I believe Madama Butterfly is on the way in February!

SLO's "Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover - A Celebration of Women in Opera"

SLO regulars Nancy Yuen, Anna Koor and Cherylene Liew return on 23 November (this coming Friday) for an all-girl gala entitled Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover - A Celebration of Women in Opera. We have already ran interviews with Nancy and Anna, but for some reason we have yet to have a chat with Cherylene, so here it is:

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The Mad Scene: Hi Cherylene, thanks for doing this interview with The Mad Scene. Firstly, what will you be singing at Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover?

Cherylene Liew: It is a pleasure. I will be singing O Mio Babbino Caro from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém (Song to the Moon) from Dvořák’s Rusalka, Sull’aria from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and the final trio from Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier.

The Mad Scene: I’ve read rave reviews about your portrayal of Zerlina in the SLO’s Don Giovanni in February this year (although I was unable to attend it personally). Looking back how did you feel about that engagement?

Cherylene Liew: I really enjoyed singing the role of Zerlina in SLO’s Don Giovanni. I felt that the whole experience was enriching, especially because it is a bigger role than I have ever attempted on a professional level. I am quite pleased that the audience enjoyed my portrayal of Zerlina – that is something that I always set out to achieve the best I can.

The Mad Scene: Is the role of Zerlina a good fit for your voice and personality? How so?

Cherylene Liew: Well, when I was first offered the role, I was not too sure. However, as I did my background research and studied the role, I thought that the role started to sit right in my voice. With regards to personality, I do not think so, but that made learning the role a lot more fun. I had to learn to be Zerlina – she is quite a handful, I can tell you that!

The Mad Scene: I feel that the female characters in opera are often portrayed as frail women with tremendous inner strength facing down impossibly trying circumstances. It’s a bit of an over generalization but seems to apply for many pieces. Do you agree with this statement? Otherwise what’s your take on the art form’s portrayal of the fairer sex?

Cherylene Liew: On a general level, I do somewhat agree with you. However, I do not think that I would use the word “frail”. I think that the female characters in opera had to live within the social conventions of when the opera was written. Perhaps in our day and age, that might come across as frailty, but I reckon that the concept of frailty may be a result of the way in which they were presented. Just as contemporary art is the reflection of contemporary times, I suppose the portrayal of female characters in opera is very much the same. I think that female characters in opera are often portrayed as women who are unsuspectingly intelligent, more so than they let on, as well as resourceful human beings that have the tenacity to overcome impossibly trying circumstances.

The Mad Scene: I have quite a few friends who much prefer female voices to male ones, for their wider range, bigger repertoire and broader varieties (lyric, dramatic, coloratura, soubrette etc). What do you think is it about female operatic voices that is so fascinating to the non-singing public?

Cherylene Liew: I think it is the varied colour of the repertoire that is so fascinating to most. Women tend to express themselves more readily and freely. They almost need a sense of release when it comes to their emotions, sometimes it could be in the form of a flamboyant rave, or lighthearted banter. As such, I think the music composed for the female voice attempts to capture that quality, whether the emotion is one of sadness, happiness or hope.

The Mad Scene: What other upcoming engagements are on your schedule besides Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover?

Cherylene Liew: This upcoming concert will be the last big engagement for 2012, after which I would be taking my Christmas break. As for what happens in 2013, you will have to wait and see! ;)

The Mad Scene: Now that you have ‘conquered’ Zerlina as well as quite a few others with the SLO, what other roles are on your wishlist?

Cherylene Liew: Well, my wishlist may take a lifetime to fulfill! Some of the roles that I hope to sing would be Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Liu in Puccini’s Turandot, Wally in Catalani’s La Wally and perhaps Louise in Charpentier’s Louise, just to name a few. Some of these roles are big, but wishing big helps me to continually challenge myself.

The Mad Scene: What CDs or DVDs have you heard or seen recently? Care to recommend any?

Cherylene Liew: I have been listening to Renata Tebaldi – Arias and Duets. It is a 5-CD set that contains various recordings and performances that she did. Absolutely enchanting! Listen with a glass of Shiraz in hand.

The Mad Scene: Since we are discussing female voices here, let’s talk about that eternal conundrum that is: who do you prefer, Callas or Tebaldi?

Cherylene Liew: Well, you must have already guessed my answer – I prefer Tebaldi.

The Mad Scene: Lastly, tell us why we should all come and hear Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover?

Cherylene Liew: I think that it would be an enchanting musical experience. There are such a variety of arias and orchestral pieces in the concert programme, from the elegant music of Mozart to the passionate and intense music of Strauss. There is of course one other thing, in that the concert celebrates women in opera – something we rarely get the opportunity to appreciate in the one concert.

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The SLO Gala Mother, Daughter, Wife and Lover - A Celebration of Women in Opera takes place this coming Friday 23 November 2012. Visit our Events Page for ticketing details.

Promising Ang Moh Singers Kiss Communist A$$

Young singers are always on the lookout for exciting new opportunities, so when Mainland China jumps on the arts education bandwagon and stages a luxurious 5 week training camp to learn Chinese art songs, off they hop to the Motherland!

This highlights video captures the excitement of the sessions as  the finest young singers from the USA, Europe and South America twist their tongues over hanyu pinyin lessons, 'yo'! and 'hey!' over coaching sessions and master the finer points of Chinese folk singing in order to perform their selection of 'patriotic' concert arias. Metropolitan Opera star Tian Hao-Jiang is obviously the best choice to oversee such an endeavor that also includes trainers from both the Met and the Mainland. Facebook updates be damned, the Little Red Book is in once again!

SLO Art Exhibition in Support of Voice Scholarship - 15 - 18 Nov 2012

Here's more info:

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Dear Friends

The Old Parliament House , Intercultural Theatre Institute and Singapore Lyric Opera has a joint project, Artworks, to raise funds so that needy students are able to have the opportunity to learn singing as in the case of SLO where we offer 10 singing scholarships to young children to join our Children’s Choir and have one of the best times of their lives ; OPH for their BT Budding Arts Fund and ITI for their acting students.

We are hoping to raise more money from the remaining paintings at Affordable Art Fair, happening from 15 to 18 November 2012, which kindly gave Artworks a booth to sell these reminding paintings. Unsold paintings by the end of December 2012 will be returned back to BT Arts Fund/OPH.

Look forward to your support and if you know of friends who collects paintings or interested in their bit for charity, we appreciate your kindness.

Ms Ng Siew Eng
General Manager
Singapore Lyric Opera Limited

SingTel NewsLoop Now on iPhone

SingTel's NewsLoop app is now available on iPhone! Here's more info from their press release:

NewsLoop – Now on the iPhone!
Since its launch on the iPad in July 2012, NewsLoop has become Singapore’s favourite news app in the Apple App Store. With the iPhone version, the best selection of content from over 230 top local and international media sources in 26 categories of stories is in the palm of your hand. NewsLoop is available for free download on the App Store.

All the latest news now in your pocket 
NewsLoop gathers all your favourite local and international news and content, and presents it in one easy-to-use app. The design of the app cuts out all the clutter, allowing for easy navigation while on the go.

Local providers:
- The Mad Scene
- Channel NewsAsia
- The Online Citizen
- I-S Magazine
- ieatishootipost
- PropertyGuru
- sgCarMart
- Nylon Singapore
- inSing

International content providers:
- BBC
- Bloomberg
- ESPN The Guardian
- Mashable
- TechCrunch
- MTV Asia
- Reuters

Please refer to http://www.getnewsloop.com/inside-newsloop for a full list of content sources.

New Features
•NewsLoop is optimised for the iPhone 5 to offer a superb news reading experience on the go.

•Current users of NewsLoop can access their personalised NewsLoop profile on both their iPhone and their iPad. This means that the smart app, which has learnt your news preferences over time, can continue to recommend articles that appeal to you!

•Apart from continuing to provide articles in a fresh and easy-to-read magazine-style format, the app has also been updated to allow readers to preview the latest headlines in Hot Topics before deciding if they want to read the detailed story.

•Readers no longer have to scan through long lists of posts and click on link after link. Instead, they can enjoy quick access to all stories and images with a few swipes, making it simpler and more entertaining than ever to discover, view and share content.

•The app now enables users to add news feeds and timelines from LinkedIn and Tumblr in addition to Facebook and Twitter. This gives readers more options to share articles either via email, social networks or SMSes.

For more information, please visit www.getNewsLoop.com
Like us on www.facebook.com/getNewsLoop
Follow us on www.twitter.com/getNewsLoop