Noticias

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A liveliness presentation

Alondra de la Parra made the public vibrate with the magic of Latin music conducting the Queensland Symphony Orchestra

August 09, 2017

In the most exciting concert of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO), conductor Alondra de la Parra played an unforgettable and liveliness performance, offering through her musicians a walk through the most different emotional states.

During the concert there were moments probably never lived before in an Australian concert hall: a pianist throwing her stilettos to the orchestra and overwhelming offstage, the conductor sticking her hands on a piano in an attempt to silence it, and the cello players in danger of being seduced in the middle of the performance.

In a theater mixed with great music, this Latin celebration of life, laughter, ritual and joy, had it all. And 10 percussionists behind the stage in a captivating frenzy that made the 70’s rock drummers look minimalistic.

It’s worth mentioning the standing ovation, the audience applauded minutes before. Alondra de la Parra made sure everything was perfect from the downbeat to the suite of Our Man in Havana by Malcolm Williamson, a quick read of this Australian composer’s best pieces.

But that was only the warm-up for Sensemayá by Silvestre Revueltas, perhaps the most exciting six minutes of an incomparable orchestral piece.

Based on a Cuban ritual of killing a snake, the performance was crude and visceral, tuba player Thomas Allely was consolidated and trumpet player Sarah Butler was amazing, Alondra de la Parra maintained the perfect rhythm throughout the piece.

Histrionism manifested itself when Lechner and Tiempo performed Tango Rhapsody, commissioned to Argentine colleague Federico Jusid, performed for the first time at Martha Argerich Lugano festival in 2010. The somber outburst on stage and the change of clothing are all part of the piece, but nothing managed to distract us from the virtuosity of the pianists Sergio Tempo (regular member of the QSO) and Karin Lechner, as well as the musical force of the piece itself.

All this improved towards the second half. La noche de los Mayas by Silvestre Revueltas was written for a movie, but in this arrangement by Joseph Ives Limantour it’s a great symphony, its epic opening was magnificently performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, as well as the fast pianissimi, while the percussionist included traditional instruments that Alondra de la Parra brought from the Yucatan peninsula.

"With the encore, which was Danzon N°. 2 by Arturo Márquez, the public stood up in the middle of scenes where the audience did not usually participate. Coming out thrilled of a concert is very common, but feeling 15 years younger and ready to face the world, that's something”, said Martin Buzacott.

Mexico,Distrito Federal