Bell'Italia! - Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Featuring: Arthur Fagen conductor, Gao Manhua soprano

Repertoire/ Programme:

ROSSINI - Il barbiere di Siviglia: Overture

ROSSINI - 'Bel raggio lusinghier’ from Semiramide

MASCAGNI - Cavalleria rusticana: Intermezzo

PUCCINI - 'Quando men vo’ from La Bohème

PUCCINI - 'Un bel di’ from Madama Butterfly

PUCCINI - Manon Lescaut: Act 3 Intermezzo

VERDI - La forza del destino: Overture

VERDI - 'È strano… Ah fors’è lui’ from La Traviata
BIZET - Carmen: Suite No. 1
RESPIGHI - Pines of Rome

Got the ticket last minute free of charge and I enjoyed the concert mixed with classic Operas & Symphonies, by famous French & Italian composers. The team is also an interesting multinational group. With the lyrics of operas translated & printed, I could understand a bit of the soprano's dramatic interpretation of all those love, jealous, murder and tragedy themes. It's impressive to hear a powerful voice accompanied by an orchestra under the guidance of a conductor. I just can't help wondering, how does a composer actually work out a symphony, are there different chords for each & every instrument? How can he/she get the orchestral effect even before composing the symphony? Sounds like a human creation.

And of course there's the difference between live concert & home theatre. In a concert hall, you observe the behaviors & communications of musicians, notice their movements & gestures, sometimes also get the unwanted noise from somewhere. It's just more vibrant & more captivating that you can feel the music in the air - Bell'Italia!