Sailing smoothly through the
Cosmos
Thursday, 28th September 2000,
(Article published with kind permission of Northeast Press
Limited, Sunderland Echo)
Review
City of Sunderland Symphony Orchestra, Sunderland Empire
A GALA nautical concert held in aid of Sunderland RNLI,
celebrating its 200th year, was presented last night by the City of Sunderland Symphony
Orchestra in its first appearance at the Empire Theatre.
Wagner’s intensely atmospheric overture, The Flying
Dutchman, launched the proceedings. A little nervous tension soon gave way to some
competent orchestral teamwork.
Sarah Busfield, a young pure-toned soprano from Ryhope, was
heard to good effect in operatic arias by Delibes and Strauss. The Laughing Song from Die
Fledermaus certainly exuded infectious sparkle and gaiety.
The Queen’s Waltz, a musical tribute to The Queen
Mother, is the work of local composer Derek Gooch. Rupert Hanson conducted its three
movements with such warmth and affection as to ensure a successful first performance.
Members of the lifeboat crew steered a safe course through
three unrehearsed sea shanties with hearty audience backing.
Sarah returned to the helm for well-projected songs from
HMS Pinafore and Pirates of Penzance. The lilting Poor Wand'ring One, with its
breathtaking cadenzas, sounded brilliant.
Orchestral contrasts came with ballet music from Spartacus,
Offenbach’s Barcarolle, and Walton’s splendid Crown Imperial March.
While faulty precision marred one or two passages, there
was some very colourful and expressive playing; the overall standards obviously delighting
the audience, which revelled in traditional last night prom favourites Sea Songs and Rule
Britannia.
Roy Horabin
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