Artists Platform

'Of Foreign Lands and People' - A Robert Schumann 200th Anniversary Fest

2010-08-16T22:16:00.037+08:00

Artists Platform and Goethe-Institut Malaysia present

“Of Foreign Lands and People”

(Von fremden Ländern und Menschen)

A Robert Schumann 200th Anniversary Fest

Date: Sunday, 31 October 2010

Venue: The Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall

No. 1, Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur

Time: 2:00pm – 7:00pm

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Concert Programme

2:00pm Schumann and Piano
Davidsbündlertänze Op 6 - Loo Bang Hean piano

1. Lebhaft - Florestan and Eusebius;
2. Innig - Eusebius;
3. Mit Humor - Florestan
4. Ungeduldig - Florestan;
5. Einfach - Eusebius;
6. Sehr rasch - Florestan;
7. Nicht schnell - Eusebius;
8. Frisch - Florestan;
9. Lebhaft - Florestan;
10. Balladenmäßig. Sehr rasch - Florestan;
11. Einfach - Eusebius;
12. Mit Humor - Florestan;
13. Wild und lustig - Florestan and Eusebius;
14. Zart und singend - Eusebius;
15. Frisch - Florestan and Eusebius;
16. Mit gutem Humor;
17. Wie aus der Ferne - Florestan and Eusebius;
18. Nicht schnell - Eusebius.

3:00pm Schumann and Song
Selection of Lieder from the early and late periods
Ang Mei Foong soprano
Tan Jong Hann tenor
Chee Su-yen & Kok-Ting Chong piano

Frauenliebe und Leben
1. "Seit ich ihn gesehen" ("Since I Saw Him")
2. "Er, der Herrlichste von allen" ("He, the Noblest of All")
3. "Ich kann's nicht fassen, nicht glauben" ("I Cannot Grasp or Believe It")
4. "Du Ring an meinem Finger" ("You Ring Upon My Finger")
5. "Helft mir, ihr Schwestern" ("Help Me, Sisters")
6. "Süßer Freund, du blickest mich verwundert an" ("Sweet Friend, You Gaze")
7. "An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust" ("At My Heart, At My Breast")
8. "Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan" ("Now You Have Caused Me Pain for the First Time")

Interval

4:30pm Schumann and Chamber Music
Fantasiestücke Op 73 for Clarinet and Piano - Eugene Pook clarinet & Loo Bang Hean piano

1.Zart und mit Ausdruck
2. Lebhaft, leicht
3. Rasch und mit Feuer

Romanzen Op 94 for Oboe and Piano
Yong How Keen oboe & Loo Bang Hean piano

1. Nicht schnell
2. Nicht schnell

Adagio and Allegro Op 70 for Cello and Piano
Robert Choi cello & Ng Chong Lim piano

1. Adagio
2. Allegro

Interval

5:30pm Schumann : An Evening Concert
Carnaval Op 9 - Dr. Nicholas Ong piano

1. Préambule
2. Pierrot
3. Arlequin
4. Valse noble
5. Eusebius
6. Florestan
7. Coquette
8. Réplique
9. Papillons.
10. A.S.C.H. - S.C.H.A: Lettres Dansantes
11. Chiarina.
12. Chopin
13. Estrella
14. Reconnaissance
15. Pantalon et Colombine
16. Valse allemande ** Intermezzo: Paganini
17. Aveu
18. Promenade
19. Pause
20. Marche des "Davidsbündler" contre les Philistins

******
Fantasia in C op 17 - Ng Chong Lim piano

1. Durchaus fantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen; Im Legenden-Ton
2. Mäßig. Durchaus energisch
3. Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten

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Spanische Liebeslieder Op 138 for Vocal Quartet and Piano 4 Hands
Chia Yee Yean soprano
Carmen Lee Jun Min mezzo-soprano
YY Yong tenor
Terence Au Eng Yee baritone
Chee Su-yen & Kok-Ting Chong piano

1. Vorspiel (Piano Duet)
2. Tief im Herzen trag ich Pein (Soprano solo)
3. O wie lieblich ist das Mädchen (Tenor solo)
4. Bedeckt mich mit Blumen (Soprano & Mezzo-soprano Duet)
5. Flutenreicher Ebro (Baritone solo)
6. Intermezzo (Piano Duet)
7. Weh, wie zornig ist das Mädchen (Tenor solo)
8. Hoch, hoch sind die Berge (Mezzo-soprano solo )
9 Blaue Augen hat das Mädchen (Tenor & Baritone Duet)
10. Dunkler Lichtglanz, blinder Blick (Quartet)

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Vocal Recital at the Music Conservatory of Sichuan, China

2010-08-09T20:59:00.022+08:00

中国四川音乐学院
时间：2010年6月30日晚730
地点：四川音乐学院聂耳音乐厅

爱之歌 - 欧洲艺术歌曲音乐会
The Voice of Love - A Recital of European Art Song

Programme

Schumann

~Widmung~
~Du Ring an meinem Finger~

~Du bist wie eine Blume~
~Der Nussbaum~
~Die Lotosblume~
~In der Fremde~
~Mondnacht~
~Ich grolle nicht~

Donaudy
~O del mio amato ben~
~Vaghissima sembianza~

Bellini
~Malinconia, Ninfa gentile~
~Per pietà, bell’idol mio~

Hahn
~A Chloris~
~D’une prison~

Faure
~Après un Rêve~
~Notre amour~

李红 Li Hong - lyric soprano
钟国廷 Kok-Ting Chong - piano

Liederabend - German Art Song Series 2008

2010-08-09T19:13:00.005+08:00

Liebesbotschaft - Love Message

2010-08-09T18:59:00.011+08:00

Artists Platform at
German Ambassador’s Residence, Kuala Lumpur

5th February 2010

Liebesbotschaft – Love Message

An Evening of German Operetta Arias, Italian Arias and German Lieder

Programme

Liebesbotschaft – Schubert
Frühlingsglaube – Schubert
Der Lindenbaum – Schubert

O mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi) – Puccini
Un bel di, vedremo (Madama Butterfly) – Puccini
Io son l’umile ancella (Adriana Lecouvreur) – Cilea

Ständchen – Schubert
Die Taubenpost – Schubert

Vilja (Die Lustige Witwe) – Lenár
Du sollst der Kaiser meiner Seele sein (Der Favorit)– Stolz
Ich schenk mein Herz (Die Dubarry)– Millöcker
Lippen Schweigen (Die Lustige Witwe) – Lenár

Ang Mei Foong – soprano
Eddy Chin – baritone
Kok-Ting Chong – piano

Italian Trade Commission Malaysia - Gala Dinner Concert

2009-09-29T09:51:00.010+08:00

Italian Trade Commission Gala Dinner Concert

Concert Programme

Puccini – O mio babbino caro
Puccini – Si, mi chiamano Mimi
Curtis – Non ti scorda di me
Curtis – Torna a Surriento
Cilea – Io son l’umile ancella
Cardillo – Core ‘ngrato
Puccini – Un bel di vedremo
Puccini – Nessun dorma

Ang Mei Foong – soprano
Jeson Chia – tenor
Kok-Ting Chong - pianist

La Promessa - Charity Concert

2009-09-29T09:47:00.013+08:00

Musical Charity Morning Concert by Artists Platform Sunday 28 June 2009, 11.00 a.m.

Members and friends are invited to a musical charity morning concert organised by NN Gallery in aid of Badan Warisan Malaysia.

We are holding an appeal to raise RM 50,000 towards the urgent roof repair for the Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman. The fragile tiles have been affected by heavy rains, winds and movement of wildlife into our compound.

Pilling works and movement of heavy vehicles in the area due to the recent new developments in the surrounding area have also compounded the problem.

The Rumah Penghulu is an award winning relocation and restoration project. It is also one of the only examples of authentic traditional Malay vernacular architecture in Kuala Lumpur which is open to the public as a cultural exhibit. We would like to continue showcasing it in an optimum condition.

NN Gallery is working with Artists Platform in this charity concert that features soprano Ang Mei Foong and pianist, Kok-Ting Chong.

The programme is as follows:

La Promessa - Recital of Italian Arias and Art Songs

Donizetti -
Me voglio fa’na casa
Ah! Rammenta, o bella Irene

Rossini -
La Promessa
L’invito

Aldo Finzi -
C’era una volta
Rondini
Serenata

Tosti -
Sogno
Malia

Puccini -
Si mi chiamano Mimi
Un bel di vedremo
In quelle trine morbide
O mio babbino caro

Liederabend - German Art Song Series 2008

2008-07-29T20:37:00.025+08:00

Artists Platform in collaboration with Goethe Institute
Supported by Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht – Silent Night, Holy Night - A Christmas Celebration

Venue : Indicine @ KLPac
Date : 11th December 2008
Time : 830pm
Ticket : RM35
Enquiry : 03-4047 9000 KLPac/ 012-661-7654 Artists platform

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht – A Classical Christmas Celebration
A Christmas programme with Lieder by Cornelius, Wolf, Strauss and Reger, famous Carols and Christmas oldies.

Programme

Six Christmas songs - Cornelius
1 Christbaum
2 Die Hirten
3 Die Könige
4 Simeon
5 Christus der Kinderfreund
6 Christkind

7 Nun wander, Maria – Hugo Wolf
8 Schlafendes Jesuskind – Hugo Wolf
9 Maria Wiegenlied – Max Reger
10 Ich steh an deiner Krippe hier
– Sigfrid Karg-Elert (Duet with violin)
11 Wiehnachtslied – Schumann

INTERVAL

1 Silent Night
2 Gesu Bambino (with violin)
3 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming (with violin)
4 The Christmas Song
5 I’ll be home for Christmas
6 White Christmas
7 Silver Bells
8 Angels We Have Heard on High
9 I Wonder as I Wander
10 The Holly and the Ivy
11 Go Tell it to the Mountain
12 Once in the Royal David’s City
13 The First Noel
14 O Holy Night

Performers
Chia Yee Yean - soprano
Evelyn Toh - soprano
Tan Wei Han - tenor
Eddy Chin - baritone
Kok-Ting Chong - piano

German Art Song Series - Die Schöne Müllerin

2008-07-29T20:17:00.013+08:00

Artists Platform in collaboration with Goethe Institute
Supported by Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center

Die schöne Müllerin –
The Maid of the Mill

Venue : Indicine @ KLPac
Date : 2nd November 2008
Time : 830pm
Ticket : RM35
Enquiry : 03-4047 9000 KLPac / 012-661-7654 Artists Platform

Both of Schubert’s two great song cycles to texts by Wilhelm Müller, Die schöne Müllerin (1823) and Winterreise (1827) revolved around the theme of unrequited love. The original poetic form of Die schöne Müllerin began life as a Liederspiel ( a narrative play in verse and song), entitled “Rose, Die schöne Müllerin”.
Schubert came across these poems in 1823, a critical year of his life. He has just contacted syphilis. The songs came into being against the backdrop of a new and terrible realization of a death-sentence, some of the songs according to Schubert’s friends Josef von Spaun and Franz Schober were written in hospital. Schubert’s awareness of his own mortality seems to have heightened his artistic perception and in his setting of Müller’s rather simple lyrics are refined into a work of genius.

Programme

Die schöne Müllerin – The Maid of the Mill D795

1 Das Wandern
2 Wohin?
3 Halt!
4 Danksagung an den Bach
5 Am Feierabend
6 Der Neugierige
7 Ungeduld
8 Morgengruss
9 Des Müllers Blumen
10 Tränenregen

INTERVAL

11 Mein!
12 Pause
13 Mit dem grünen Lautenbande
14 Der Jäger
15 Eifersucht und Stolz
16 Die liebe Farbe
17 Die böse Farbe
18 Trockne Blumen
19 Der Müller und der Bach
20 Des Baches Wiegenlied

Performers
Eddy Chin - baritone
Kok-Ting Chong - piano

German Art Song Series - Liebesfrühling

2008-07-29T19:20:00.025+08:00

Artists Platform in collaboration with Goethe Institute

Supported by Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center

Liebesfrühling – Spring of Love

Venue : Indicine @ KLPac
Date : 8th November 2008
Time : 830pm
Ticket : RM35
Enquiry : 03-4047 9000 KLPac/ 012-661-7654 Artists Platform

In March 1840, Robert wrote to his fiancée: “Why not write a song! Once you’ve begun, you just can’t stop. It is simply too tempting.” But Clara rejected the idea the very next day. It was not until December of the same year that Clara finally took up her husband’s suggestion. In September 1841 Robert and Clara published a collection of songs and duets under the title Twelve Poems from F. Ruckert’s Spring of Love for Voice and Piano by Robert and Clara Schumann. It was released just on time for Clara’s 22nd birthday.

Programme

Robert and Clara Schumann
Zwölf Gedichte aus “Liebesfrühling” Op.37 (Rückert)
1 Der Himmel hat eine Träne geweint
2 Er ist gekommen
3 O ihr Herren
4 Liebst du um Schönheit
5 Ich hab in mich gesogen
6 Liebste, was kann denn uns scheiden?
7 Schön ist das Fest des Lenzes
8 Flügel! Flügel! um zu fliegen
9 Rose, Meer und Sonne
10 O Sonn’, O Meer, O Rose
11 Warum willst du andre fragen?
12 So wahr die Sonne scheint

INTERVAL

Robert Schumann
Frauenliebe und Leben op.42
Song cycle after poems by Adelbert von Chamisso

1. Seit ich ihn gesehen
2. Er, der Herrlichste von allen
3. Ich kann's nicht fassen, nicht glauben
4. Du Ring an meinem Finger
5. Helft mir, ihr Schwestern
6. Süßer Freund, du blickest
7. An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust
8. Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan

Gustav Mahler - Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
(based on Des Knaben Wunderhorn)
1 Wenn mein Schatz Hcichzeit macht
2 Ging eines Morgen über’s Feld
3 Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer
4 Die zwei blauen Augen

Performers
Chia Yee Yean - soprano
Raymond Lee - tenor
Eddy Chin - baritone
Kok-Ting Chong - piano

Puccini 150

2008-07-14T10:51:00.049+08:00

Puccini 150

A Gala Concert in celebration of Puccini's Birth-year

Presented by The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Choir

Sponsored by The MUI Group
Supported by The Embassy of Italy

Date : 28th August, 2008
Time : 8pm
Venue : The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
No 1, Jalan Maharajalela Kuala Lumpur
Tickets : RM50/RM70
Ticket Hotline : 012-661 7654 (Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm)

2008 marks the 150th birth anniversary of the renowned Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini, whose operas have long been regarded as the most popular in the repertoire and are frequently performed in opera houses around the world.
To commemorate this anniversary, Artists Platform is presenting a concert dedicated to the heroines of Puccini, who mesmerize audiences with their heart-rending vulnerability. In all of Puccini’s operas, these frail creatures live with all their hearts for love and die tragically through illness (Mimi, Manon), heartbreak (Anna) or suicide (Butterfly, Tosca, Liu and Sister Angelica).
The concert programme comprises arias and scenes from Puccini's operas such as Le Villi, Manon Lescaut , La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, La Rondine and Turandot. The roles of the heroines will be performed by sopranos Li Hong, Vivian Li, Tan Khar Gee, Ang Mei Foong and an ensemble of female voices, all accompanied on the piano by Kok-Ting Chong.

Concert Programme

Se come voi – Le Villi
Ancora un passo– Madama Butterfly
Un bel di – Madama Butterfly
Si mi chiamano Mimi – La Boheme
Donde lieta – La Boheme
Quando men’vo – La boheme

Interval

Vissi d’arte – Tosca
In quelle trine morbide – Manon Lescaut
Chi il bel sogno di Doretta - La Rondine
Signore ascolta – Turandot
Tu che di gel sei cinta – Turandot
Senza mamma and scena - Suor Angelica
O mio babbino caro – Gianni Schicchi

Soprano
Li Hong
Vivian Li
Tan Khar Gee
Ang Mei Fong

Female vocal ensemble
Tan Kai Jong,
Chan Nyim,
Wong Poh Ming
Tan Hong Peng
Chua Pih Siang
Loong Yoke Kum
Grace Low Kwee Chin
Chiew Sheau Fwu
Lee Yee Wee

Pianist
Kok-Ting Chong

Orchestrator
Ng Chor Guan

A lyric soprano with a sound technique and beautiful high notes, Li Hong was graduated from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music. She has performed extensively around China and most recently in America and Poland. A winner of several singing competitions, she has worked with Professor Lu Hui Juan (Germany), Rao Yu Jian (Shanghai Opera House), Linda Brice and Richard Poppino (America). In 2007 she made her debut as Tosca with the Sichuan Conservatory of Music.

Vivian Li holds a BA Degree in Traditional Chinese Vocal Music from the Harbin University before graduating in 2007 at the NanYang Academy of Fine Arts Singapore. An avid competition participant since young, she has won many competitions including the prestigious Hei Long Jiang Singing Competition and the Chinese Winter Dream Young Singer Singing Competition
Since residing in Singapore, she has performed at the Esplanade Concourse, Victoria Concert Hall and the Lee Foundation Theater. She made her debut with Bangkok opera in 2007 singing the role of Gerhilde in Wagner’s Die Walküre

Homegrown coloratura soprano, Tan Khar Gee was a graduate of the Malaysian Institute of Arts before obtaining her Masters Degree at the Conservatory of China, Beijing. Subsequently she left for Italy to further her studies at the Accademia Lirica Italiana under the tutelage of Maestro Pier Miranda Ferraro and the renowned repetiteur Maestro Roberto Negri, both from the famous opera house Teatro Alla Scala, Milano. In Italy, she actively participated and represented the conservatory in major performances and received excellent reviews from the press. Consequently, she was awarded the Young Vocalist and Artist Certificate.
Since her return to the country in 2004, she has given many recitals in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China to great acclaim.

Born in Kuala Lumpur, soprano Ang Mei Foong started her musical training as a pianist. After obtaining her Bachelor degree from the National Taiwan Normal University, she furthered her studies at the Conservatorio di Musica Santa Cecilia Roma under the guidance of Maestra Rebecca Berg. Subsequently she received a full scholarship to pursue her Master’s at the University of Melbourne. In Melbourne, she studied with Merlyn Quaife.
An active recitalist, Mei Foong has performed in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Australia.

The Star

Friday August 22, 2008
Puccini’s heroines
By N. RAMA LOHAN

Puccini 150 Gala Concert celebrates the famed Italian composer’s works.

He was deemed a poor and indisciplined music student by his uncle, yet Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), the famed Italian composer renowned for his operas, went on to write classics of the genre like Tosca, Madamme Butterfly and La Boheme, among others.

The great man’s works will be celebrated in Malaysia come Aug 28 at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall at 8pm. Marking his 150th birthday, the event dubbed Puccini 150 Gala Concert comes under the auspices of the MUI Group and is supported by the Embassy of Italy.

To commemorate this anniversary, Artists Platform will present a concert dedicated to the heroines of Puccini, who have mesmerised audiences with their vulnerability.

The concert programme comprises arias and scenes from Puccini’s operas such as Le Villi, Manon Lescaut, La Boheme, Madamme Butterfly, Tosca, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, La Rondine and Turandot. The roles of the heroines will be performed by sopranos Li Hong, Vivian Li, Tan Khar Gee and Ang Mei Foong as well as an ensemble of female voices, all accompanied on the piano by Chong Kok-Ting.

As the guiding force for the production, Chong took some time off to elaborate on what the event is all about and what concert-goers can look forward to.

“Puccini 150 is about the female characters from nine of his operas. For me, it’s the female character that touches me most. The arias I’ve selected are the most popular and alongside them, an excerpt from Sour Angelica, an opera that’s not performed often worldwide.

“People attending the show can expect an evening of great music and singing,” claims the 43-year-old pianist who hails from Sungai Siput, Perak.

Drawing his four sopranos apart proved no easy task but the obliging Chong – who is one of seven siblings – describes them as individuals in their own right. “They are four singers of very different backgrounds, training and exposure. They all have distinctive vocal styles and colours,” he shares diplomatically.

Chong’s own musical roots lay embedded in the sands of time, a period when he grew up sharing a seat with his sister on the piano chair in his home in Sungai Siput.
His father had gifted his younger brother and sister a piano and it was on this set of keys that he developed a love for the instrument. “I’d sit with her after her class and we’d practise together. I had my first lesson at the age of 16,” concedes the late bloomer.

After college, Chong pursued his music actively and studied at the Trinity College of Music in England. “I was exposed to vocal accompaniment while at college and the great accompanist Graham Johnson was my mentor.
“I fell in love with the art of accompaniment and the soprano voice. I love poetry and, for me, opera and art song from the romantic period are the ultimate art forms, a true marriage between word and music,” he says, admitting that it was his willingness to work with anyone that got him around the block rather quickly.

Chong has a number of accolades to his name, including the John Ireland Trust, The English Singers and Speaker, highly commended in the great Grimsby Competition and at The Young Musician of the Year Competition in Stockholm.

Acknowledgement is always a heart-warming experience and Chong appreciates it, but also insists, win or lose, he would have remained honest to his craft. “It was great encouragement and yes, a good sense of self-worth that I was good at what I did. It opened up many doors for me.”

Music has been rewarding to Chong who says that nothing fascinates him more than the experience of two musicians getting together and making music agreeably. “That attracts me most in my job, rather than, say, being a soloist.”

Over the years, Chong has travelled to a number of countries, including England, Sweden, Italy, South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore. His travels have taught him a lot about the classical music culture abroad and the way of life in those places.

“It certainly broadened my horizon and the way I live my life. Western classical music, for me, is part of their culture, just like fine art, food, weather and the distinctive characteristics of the people there.”

Puccini is close to Chong’s heart for many reasons. “I adore opera, especially Puccini’s. My first experience of an opera performance was Puccini’s Madamme Butterfly. I guess it’s the raw, passionate and totally human emotion of this Italian composer that speaks directly to me.”

Raw and passionate performances should probably be on display come the Puccini 150 Gala Concert, and you can pretty much bet on it that Chong will be leading the way.

Setitik Embun - Indonesian and French Art Song Recital

2008-06-28T12:45:00.016+08:00

Setitik Embun
Ku titik di daun setitik embun
Indah berseri menawan nubari

Hendak ku pegang, hatiku sayang
Takut kan djatuh kalau tersentuh

Aku bimbang tinggal terlena
Terkenang selalu kan air mata

Ia djatuh kerna sengsara
Tak tahan lama mendrita djiwa

Kerna aku dah tahu
Air mata meniti
Kalau hatiku telah tersentuh

Malaysian Red Crescent started as a British Red Cross branch in 1948. Upon independence of Malaya in 1957, it came to be known as the Federation of Malaya Red Cross Society. After the adoption of the Geneva Conventions by the Government of Malaysia through the passing of the Geneva Conventions Act, 1962, Parliament in the same year passed the Federation of Malaya Red Cross (Incorporation) Act, 1962. This Act was however subsequently repealed and replaced by the Malaysian Red Cross Society (Incorporation) Act ,1965. Following the adoption by the Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the Red Crescent emblem (in addition to the Red Cross emblem), the name of Malaysian Red Cross Society was changed to Malaysian Red Crescent Society in 1975. This year, Malaysian Red Crescent celebrates its 60th year of existence in this country.
MRCS' ultimate aim is to be self sustaining in the multi-faceted humanitarian projects/undertakings that it carries out and is continously looking for fresh donations and contributions to fund such projects/undertakings. Your warm and kind support of this multi-faceted humanitarian cause is very much welcome.
With your RM50 charity contribution towards the Setitik Embun concert, you will be entertained by pianist Kok-Ting Chong and soprano Irma Lailatul Munira, with a special poetry reading by Malaysian National Laureate, YBhg Datuk A. Samad Said & YBhg. Datuk Nordin Razak.

Setitik Embun –

Indonesian and French Art Song Recital

Concert Programme

Improvisation in B minor - Poulenc (piano solo)

Senyum dalam derita - Mokhtar Embut
Aku Ingin - Mokhtar Embut
Kasih dan Pelukis - Mokhtar Embut

Irama Desa - Mokhtar Embut
Malam Menara - Mokhtar Embut
Setitik Embun - Mokhtar Embut

Improvisation in C minor - Poulenc (piano solo)
(Hommage a Edith Piaf)

Villanelle - Eva Dell’Acqua
Ave Maria - Charles Gounod
Les filles de Cadix - Leo Delibes

The Magic Flute – KL Performing Arts Center 2007

2008-06-28T12:43:00.021+08:00

Mozart's The Magic Flute - Selected excerpts in concert
with The KLPac Sinfonietta - conducted by Brian Tan
Music Director - Kok-Ting Chong
Narrator - Joe Hasham
Director - Dato' Faridah Merican

Peter Ong, Irma Lailatul, Tan Sin Sim, James Long, John Tan, Khor Mei Ling, Wang Dixia and Janet Lee

Venue - Pentas 1, KLPac
22-24 March @ 830pm
24-25 March @ 330pm

The 60 Second Plug: KLPac's The Magic Flute

kakiseni.com, 21 March 2007

by Juliet Jacobs

Shamelessly blow your trumpet, and tell us about yourself.
I studied at the Trinity College of Music, in London. While at college, I fell in love with everything to do with vocal accompaniment. I love the voice, you see; the mix of vocal repertoire, music and words are, to me, the perfect marriage. I have worked with many singers, since.
After college, I stayed in London for many years, working and travelling around Europe. I came back to Malaysia in 1997, and got to know of all the local classical singers. I set up my own little performing arts group, Artists Platform, in 2003. I’ve been arranging many concerts, since.

How did you get involved in The Magic Flute?
I got to know Faridah Merican, Joe Hasham and Marge Chew while working on a YTL project at KLPac, back in 2005. They were impressed with what I did in the concert, and thought of me as the ideal candidate for this project.
The Magic Flute, one of the most well-loved pieces in Mozart’s body of work, is a Singspiel opera in two acts. We know that the KLPac iteration is doing it in a concert style. What more can you tell us about the performance?
Yes, we are performing the work as a concert, so that means there will be no acting, costumes or set. A narrator will guide the audience through the whole story, with the ensemble singing arias. On top of that, we will be projecting simple animations to visually enhance the whole story.

Tell us a bit about The Magic Flute’s story.
Basically, it’s all about good versus evil, light versus darkness: the Queen of the Night, an evil power, has accused Sarastro, a wise priest, of kidnapping her daughter Pamina. She persuades a prince, Tamino, to help rescue Pamina from Sarastro’s temple. When Tamino learns the truth -- after several trials -- the Queen is defeated and vanishes from the surface of the earth.

What exactly do you do, as Music Director?
Basically, I have to decide on the music: what to retain and what to discard from Mozart’s original score. The music has to fit into the narrator’s script. In this particular production, I took the liberty of cutting out most of the recitative and ensemble elements, but retained the solo arias and a few ensembles that feature the Three Ladies.
Once the music is set, I start working with the singers, coaching and making their rendition of the music convincing. At the same time, I have to keep an eye on the orchestra, but for The Magic Flute I left most of the rehearsals to Brian Tan, the conductor and founder of the KLPac Sinfonietta.

What is it like, working with The Magic Flute gang? Anyone driving you mad?
It was fun, right from the very first day of rehearsals. I love working with singers, especially young and energetic ones. I think I was the one driving people mad, asking my singers to sing the same phrase, over and over again.
The performance features talented vocal performers like Peter Ong, Tan Sin Sim, Irma Lailatul Munira and Janet Lee. Tell us about some of the cast members’ eccentricities.
They are just a normal bunch of people, really. But as soon as they open their mouths and sing, they become different people.

What’s your view on the classical music scene in Malaysia?
We are still in our infancy, at this stage. There is so much space for musicians working here to grow and be creative. It’s quite exciting, really ...

What’s your dream project, and who would be on your dream production team?
I consider every project of mine to be my dream project, and every team that I work with my dream team. I put my heart and soul into every single project that comes my way.

Tell us a funny story from a previous performance.
It will have to be something that happened to me, in Stockholm. I bought a pair of brand new leather shoes for a concert. While walking out from the wing to make my bow to the audience I slipped, half-way. I did a split on the concert platform!
I quickly picked myself up, sat at the piano, and played like nothing had happened.

What are you up to, next?
I will be going to ChengDu next, to work on a production of Tosca. At the same time, I’ll be working on this year’s Artists Platform Song Recital Series.

We hear you’re organising a series of European Art Song Recitals around the country, this year. Tell us more?
Yes, my next big project is to focus on the art song, a neglected genre here. It’s a rather challenging project for everyone, at this stage -- for both the performer, as well as the audience. I’m hoping to bring this art form to a wider audience in Malaysia.

What’s irony to you?
A singer who is blessed with the voice of an angel, but who cannot read a single music note.

~~~

Join in the proverbial battle of Good and Evil in this concert version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, which plays at KLPac’s Pentas 1, Thu 22 - Sun 25, April 2007. Tickets start at RM30.

Liederabend - German Art Song Series 2007

2008-06-28T12:43:00.020+08:00

Du, Lied aus voller Menschenbrust,
Wärst du nicht, ach, was füllte noch in arger Zeit ein Herz mit Lust?

Justinus Kerner

Thou, song from the fullness of the human breast,
If thou didst not exist, oh, then what
In grave times would fill a heart with joy?

Liederabend – German Art Song Series 2007

Song, one of the oldest forms of musical expression, flourished in Europe during the romantic period in the nineteenth-century. Today in classical music these songs are called "art songs”, and the German art songs are called "Lieder". The increased popularity of piano as a home music-making instrument and the wealth of German romantic poetry during that period contributed to its growth.
Liederabend - Evening of Songs - dates back to this period. Musicians, music lovers and friends would gather at home and one or more singers would sing the songs. Often the composers themselves would accompany the singers at the piano
Artists Platform is introducing Liederabend in its 2007 season. We are presenting five different concert programmes that encompass the breadth and wealth of the German art song. The concerts will showcase Malaysia’s best classical singers.

Programmes

Written Word
1. Das Veilchen (Goethe) Mozart
2. Heidenröslein (Goethe) Schubert
3. Erster Verlust (Goethe) Schubert
4. Erster Verlust (Goethe) Mendelssohn
5. Die Liebende Schreibt (Goethe) Schubert
6. Die Liebende Schreibt (Goethe) Mendelssohn
7. Rastlose Liebe (Goethe) Franz
8. Rastlose Liebe (Goethe) Schubert

INTERVAL

9. Mailied (Goethe) Beethoven
10. Liebeslied (Goethe) Schumann
11. Die Spröde (Goethe) Wolf
12. Die Bekehrte (Goethe) Wolf
13. Wandrers Nachtlied (Goethe) Schubert
14. Wandrers Nachtlied (Goethe) Liszt
15. Gretchen am Spinnrade (Goethe) Wagner
16. Gretchen am Spinnrade (Goethe) Schubert
17. Erlkönig (Goethe) Schubert
Soprano Evelyn Toh
Soprano Tan Sin Sim
Soprano Chia Yee Yean
Tenor Kee Loi Seng
Pianist Kok-Ting Chong
Speaker Dr Volker Wolf

Landscape
To Nature
1. An die Natur (Stolberg) Schubert
2. Wehmut (Collins) Schubert

Water Music
3. Auf dem Wasser zu Singen (Stolberg) Schubert
4. Selige Welt (Senn) Schubert
5. Am Flusse (Goethe) Schubert
6. Der Fluss (Schlegel) Schubert

Nocturne
7. Im Abendroth (Lappe) Schubert
8. An den Mond (Hölty) Schubert
9. Nacht und Träume (Collin) Schubert
10. Die Sterne (Schlegel) Schubert

INTERVAL

To Nature
11. Die Götte Griechenlands (Schiller) Schubert
12. Aufenthalt (Rellstab) Schubert
13. Schäfers Klagelied (Goethe) Schubert
14. Der Musensohn (Goethe) Schubert

To Spring
15. Im Frühling (Schulze) Schubert
16. Frühlingsglaube (Uhland) Mendelssohn
17. Frühlingsnacht (Eichendorff) Schumann
18. Er ist’s (Mörike) Wolf
Soprano Tan Sin Sim
Soprano Evelyn Toh
Tenor Kee Loi Seng
Baritone Jeffery Chew
Pianist Kok-Ting Chong
Speaker Noor Mahnun Mohamed

Letters
Dichterliebe op.48 Robert Schumann
Song cycle after the ‘Buch der Lieder’ by
Heinrich Heine

1. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai
2. Aus meinen Tränen sprießen
3. Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne
4. Wenn ich in deine Augen seh
5. Ich will meine Seele tauchen
6. Im Rhein, im schönen Strome
7. Ich grolle nicht, und wenn das Herz auch bricht
8. Und wüßten's die Blumen, die kleinen
9. Das ist ein Flöten und Geigen
10. Hör' ich das Liedchen klingen
11. Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen
12. Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen
13. Ich hab' im Traum geweinet
14. Allnächtlich im Traume seh' ich dich
15. Aus alten Märchen winkt es
16. Die alten, bösen Lieder

INTERVAL

Frauenliebe und Leben op.42 Robert Schumann
Song cycle after poems by Adelbert von Chamisso

1. Seit ich ihn gesehen
2. Er, der Herrlichste von allen
3. Ich kann's nicht fassen, nicht glauben
4. Du Ring an meinem Finger
5. Helft mir, ihr Schwestern
6. Süßer Freund, du blickest
7. An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust
8. Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan
soprano Chia Yee Yean
Tenor Tan Wei Han
Pianist Kok-Ting Chong

Journey
Winterreise D911 op.89 Schubert
Song cycle after poems by Wilhelm Müller

1. Gute Nacht
2. Die Wetterfahne
3. Gefrorne Tränen
4. Erstarrung
5. Der Lindenbaum
6. Wasserflut
7. Auf dem Flusse
8. Rückblick
9. Irrlicht
10. Rast
11. Frühlingstraum
12. Einsamkeit
13. Die Post
14. Der greise Kopf
15. Die Krähe
16. Letzte Hoffnung
17. Im Dorfe
18. Der stürmische Morgen
19. Täuschung
20. Der Wegweiser
21. Das Wirtshaus
22. Mut
23. Die Nebensonnen
24. Der Leiermann
Baritone Eddy Chin
Pianist Kok-Ting Chong

On Wings of Song
1. Das Veilchen (Goethe) Mozart
2. Mailied (Goethe) Beethoven
3. Frühlingsglaube (Uhland) Schubert
4. Wandrers Nachtlied (Goethe) Schubert
5. Auf dem Wasser zu Singen (Stolberg) Schubert
6. Gretchen am Spinnrade (Goethe) Schubert
7. Erster Verlust (Goethe) Mendelssohn
8. Die Liebende Schreibt(Goethe) Mendelssohn
9. Auf Flügeln des Gesanges (Heine) Mendelssohn

INTERVAL

Dichterliebe (Heine) – selections Schumann
10. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai
11. Aus meinen Tränen sprießen
12. Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne
13. Wenn ich in deine Augen seh
14. Ich grolle nicht, und wenn das Herz auch bricht

15. Wie melödien zieht es mir (Groth) Brahms YY
16. Anakreon Grab (Goethe) Wolf
17. Verborgenheit (Mörike) Wolf
18. Ein Traum (Bodenstedt) Grieg
19. All mein Gedanken (Dahn) Strauss
20. Die Nacht (Gilm) Strauss
21. Du meines Herzens Krönelein (Dahn) Strauss
22. Zueignung (Gilm) Strauss
Soprano Chia Yee Yean
Soprano Evelyn Toh
Tenor Kee Loi Seng
Baritone Jeffery Chew
Pianist Kok-Ting Chong

Venue
The Actors Studio Greenhall Penang
Date
27th Ocotober 2007 ~ Written Word
28th October 2007 ~ Letters

Venue
Indicine@ Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac)
Date
15th November 2007 ~ Written Word
16th November 2007 ~ Landscape
17th November 2007 ~ Letters
18th November 2007 ~ Journey

Venue
Taat House, Johor Bahru
Date
24th November 2007 ~ On Wings of Song

Venue
The Syuen Hotel, Ipoh
Date
28th November 2007 ~ On Wings of Song

Review by Lisa Ho
23. 11. 2007
Tembak: Artists Platform’s “Liederabend” by Lisa Ho

“Das Lied soll schauern und beben
Wie der Kuß von ihrem Mund”
The song should shudder and tremble
Like the kiss from her lips

-- “Dichterliebe”, Robert Schumann

German art song (Lieder) is a genre of music that has seen some revival in Kuala Lumpur lately. Beginning with the Lieder performances of Cantus Musicus in 2004 right to their most recent concert this year in collaboration with German Ambassador, HE Mr. Herbert Jess and the German Embassy, it is heartening to see another party of keen singers taking up the banner of promoting this musical art form.

Artists Platform and its leader, Chong Kok Ting, in collaboration with Dr. Volker Wolf of the Goethe-Institut Malaysia brought the beauty and romanticism of Lieder to many Malaysians through their “Liederabend -- German Art Song Series 2007” ("Liederabend") series of concerts in KL, Penang, Ipoh and Johor Bahru. A wide range of songs from Mozart to Strauss under different themes were performed by various singers -- all accompanied on the piano by Kok Ting. I did not manage to attend all four concerts in KL, but the two which I attended at the KLPac were interesting.

The “Liederabend” concert on 16th November was not only a musical treat but an informative art history lesson too! All the songs of the evening were songs pertaining to Nature, but Noor Mahnun Mohamed (the speaker for the concert) carefully selected paintings by a famous German artist, Caspar David Friedrich, to emotionally, if not graphically, match the songs. Some of the art songs that were rendered credibly were “Auf dem Wasser zu Singen” by Evelyn Toh, “Frühlingsnacht” by Jeffrey Chew and “Schäfers Klagelied” by Tan Sin Sim.

While all the singers that evening were equal in terms of vocal technique, I felt that Tan Sin Sim had the best overall presentation of her songs, although she was more Italianate in approach rather than Germanic, thus making some of the songs she rendered more dramatic than is accepted conventionally to listeners of Lieder. The encore which the four singers sang was a fitting tribute to music -- “An die Musik” -- that marked the close of a concert which showed good effort by Kok Ting and poetic, and artistic flair from the charming Noor Mahnun Mohamed.

The concert on 17th November was a revelation. Only one composer was featured on that evening’s programme – Robert Schumann. The two song-cycles, “Dichterliebe” and “Frauenliebe und Leben”, were performed by tenor Tan Wei Han and soprano Chia Yee Yean. Wei Han sung in heartfelt tones of the heartbreak and pain of love while Yee Yean sang beautifully of a woman’s life and love.

All throughout the performance, the letters of Robert Schumann with his wife Clara Wieck were projected onto the LCD screen in front of the audience. The effect of this was intended to heighten the emotions that go along with the songs as Robert Schumann died young and in tragic circumstances, while Clara suffered because of his early demise.

Wei Han sang with power and polish, and although he was overly enthusiastic in some of the songs which I felt required a little more restraint, it is something which one can overlook because the beauty of his voice just shone through. Yee Yean also performed beautifully with an elegance that perhaps was missing from most of the other younger singers of the previous night’s concert. Yee Yean’s German diction was perfect and her approach of the “Frauenliebe und Leben” was exactly as how one would approach Lieder in its performance context, but that was to be expected as she had spent a number of years in Austria. I liked Yee Yean’s clear and bright voice, never penetrating, never shrill for one moment even in the more dramatic parts of the song cycle.

Lieder, which used to be performed in the privacy of people’s homes, loses a little of its Gemütlichkeit when it is performed in an auditorium or studio. However, this loss was compensated very nicely by the warmth of the audience’s applause for both evenings and the nice decoration of the stage by Francoise Savaton, who should be congratulated for trying to achieve a cosy atmosphere in a venue that would have otherwise been sterile. This helped tremendously in the better appreciation of Lieder.

~~~

Lisa Ho is a German speaker, singer and piano accompanist who has been involved in nine Lieder concerts since 2004.

Masquerade – Equatorial Hotel Penang 2006

2008-06-28T12:42:00.007+08:00

Artists Platform and Caring & Sharing Choir
present

MASQUERADE – A Fund Raising Charity Concert in aid of SJK(C) Wen Khai and SJK(C) Kwang Hwa Penang

Artists Platform is pleased to bring you an extravaganza of Shanghainese shi dai qu, Mandarin art songs and Viennese operettas in a glittering evening harking back to the days of masked balls and galas.

It will be a glamorous musical expedition taking you from the sensational dance halls of Shanghai to the extravagant balls of Vienna. It will be an evening full of joie de vivre, risqué innuendos, and infectious merriment!

Come join the ball with popular oldies such as Yue lai xiang as well as music from The Merry Widow and Die Fledermaus! Featuring Cecilia Yap, Tan Khar Gee, Armando Chin, Peter Ong, Eddy Chin, and the Caring and Sharing Choir.

And don’t forget to bring your mask…

Date: 11th November 2006

Time: 8:00 pm

Venue: Grand Ballroom Hotel Equatorial Penang

Performers: Cecilia Yap, Tan Khar Gee - soprano
Armando Chin, Peter Ong - tenor
Eddy Chin – baritone
Caring & Sharing Choir
Kok-Ting Chong - piano

Patron : YB Datuk Wong Kam Hoong, Deputy Minister of
Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia

By Invitation only

Concert Programme

夜上海 - 爱心合唱团
星星索- 陈容
奉献 - 叶洁芝
阳关三叠 -拿汀谢丽华
牵阮的手 - 爱心合唱团
我住长江头 - 陈家仪
玫瑰玫瑰我爱你 - 爱心合唱团
何日君再来 - 爱心合唱团

Interval

Comes a train of little Ladies (Gilbert & Sullivan) - Female Choir
A wand’ring minstrel I (Gilbert & Sullivan) - Peter Ong and Male Choir
I’m off to Chez Maxime (Lehar) - Eddy Chin
Villia-Song (Lehar) - Tan Khar Gee
Merry Widow Waltz (Lehar) - Tutti
Dein ist mein ganzes herz (Lehar) - Chin Yong
Csãrdãs (Strauss) - Cecilia Yap
Grande Finale – Sing to Love (Strauss) - Tutti

Mozart 250 - The Chinese Assembly Hall KL 2006

2008-06-28T12:41:00.006+08:00

Mozart 250

Artists Platform in collaboration with the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Choir is proud to present Mozart 250.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Prodigy. Genius. Icon. No one person has been so associated with music as this one man has. And in this year which marks his 250th birthday, Artists Platform is proud to join the global celebration of this musical phenomenon whose work still enthralls audiences to this very day with a program featuring ensemble scenes from four of his most popular operas - Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte and Die Zauberflöte.

Although he wrote brilliant arias to showcase the solo singer, he also wrote glorious ensembles and it is a challenge still for every singer to sing his works. Each melodious solo line amalgamates with one another until musical perfection is attained: seamless melody and refined harmony. This gala will feature some of the best singers from Malaysia interpreting some of the most divine duets, trios, quintets and sextets in the operatic repertoire. These scenes will be bound together and given fresh insight into their actual relevance to a modern audience through fresh settings. This concert will be a feast for the ears and the soul as the voices blend with one another in exquisite rapture, like the weaving of an intricate fabric – absolutely Mozart! For no other composer, dead or alive, has managed to transport us so close to heaven as he has – perhaps it was his calling, as Amadeus means ‘loved by God’.

“Too many notes, my dear Mozart”, was what Emperor Joseph II once said to the young composer after one of his operas. That his works are still performed regularly in the international opera repertoire is testament to his brilliance in writing for singers. His compositions display all that is human and celebrates the wonder of the human voice, never sacrificing his musical hallmarks of clarity, balance and transparency. It would seem that he had written music to last beyond an eternity.

Tragically, he passed away at a very early age of 35. By then he had already composed more than 600 works and was the toast of Vienna and the Western world. Although buried in an unmarked communal grave that remains to be discovered till this day, his legacy has continued to remain relevant and inspiring to many generations all around the world.

Perhaps he was and still is truly loved by God.

Concert Info

Date: 13th October 2006
Time: 8.00 pm
Venue: The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
Tickets: RM60, RM80, RM100
Box-Office: 03 – 40479000 (KLPAC)
03 – 20949400 (THE ACTORS STUDIO)
tickets@klpac.com
Performers: Cecilia Yap, Tan Khar Gee, Irma Lailatul Munira – soprano
Wang Dixia – mezzo soprano
David Ngim – counter-tenor
Tan Wei Han – tenor
Eddy Chin, Cha Seng Tiang, John Tan, Jeffery Chew – baritone
Kok-Ting Chong – piano
Sandra Sodhy – English narrator
Kow Wei Lieh, Samuel Tseu Ken Fui - chorus

Programme for the evening

Le Nozze di Figaro
i Overture
ii Porgi amor
iii Voi che sapete
iv Venite…inginocchiatevi a
v Susanna or via sorte
vi Aprite, presto aprite
vii Esci, ormai garzon malnato

Cecilia Yap – Contessa
Tan Khar Gee – Susanna
David Ngim – Cherubino
Cha Seng Tiang - Conte

Don Giovanni
viii Don Giovanni, a cenar teco

Cha Seng Tiang – Don Giovanni
Jeffery Chew – Leporello
John Tan - Il Commentatore
Kow Wei Lieh, Samuel Tseu Ken Fui

Interval

Die Zauberflöte
i Bei Männern, welche Liebe Fühlen
ii Papagena! Papagena!

Eddy Chin – Papageno
Irma Lailatul Munira– Pamina, Papagena

Così fan Tutte
iii Act One Finale – A che tutta in un momento

Cecilia Yap – Fiordiligi,
Wang Dixia – Dorabella
Tan Khar Gee - Despina
Tan Wei Han – Ferrando
Cha Seng Tiang – Guglielmo
Jeffery Chew – Don Alfonso

Kok-Ting Chong - Piano

Sandra Sodhy – English narrator

Message from the Patron Toh Puan Ena Ling
As our country continues its progress towards developed nation status, it is heartening and encouraging to witness the growth of cultural activities to complement our economic development. No nation is complete without artistes and no nation is developed without cultural activities that contribute to society’s enrichment: mentally, emotionally and spiritually. And as we continue down this path of progress, we as a society should also begin to support the growth of local artistes and the nurturing of future talent who have the potential to affect the cultural landscape of Malaysia, for the betterment of our people and our nation.

Artists Platform is one such organisation that serves this function. Malaysia is fortunate to have many talented local musicians and singers who specialise in Western classical music. We have many pianists, violinists, other instrumentalists and singers who choose to return to this country after completing their training abroad to share the joy of their music with their fellow countrymen. They have achieved many laurels abroad and have brought pride to our country by demonstrating that many in other countries appreciate their talent as one can see by their constant invitations to perform abroad. It is indeed ironic that some of them have more concert engagements abroad than they do here. It is now time that we provide a showcase for them here in their homeland and to encourage their further development and growth, as well as that of the younger generation of musicians waiting in the wings. It is also time for Malaysians to challenge themselves by exploring different and diverse art forms – after all our nation is one that is built on and celebrates cultural diversity.

With this, I would like to express my support and give my best wishes to Artists Platform as it strives to promote our local classical
musicians and singers as well as enlivening our nation’s cultural landscape.

The Singers
CHA SENG TIANG - baritone
A well known performer and teacher, Penang-born Cha Seng Tiang’s “pedigree” comes about from early voice training under Tony Sim and baritone Eddy Chin, established names in the classical voice circle. Cha won the 1988 Malaysia Classical Song Singing Competition and in 1991 was duly awarded a full scholarship to further his studies at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts under the tutelage of Michael Rippon.
Cha’s promising vocals as well as active participation in recitals and festivals got him noticed. And in the summer of 1992, Cha was invited to Sapporo, Japan, to participate in the Pacific Music Festival where he performed Leonard Bernstein’s Songfest and Chichester Psalms under the baton of maestro Michael Tilson Thomas. There, Cha also took part in recitals and concerts under the guidance of Paul Sperry –a well-known voice coach in USA.

Cha has since participated in many other recitals and festivals that have taken him to Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Peninsular and East Malaysia. He built his vocal prowess through operatic roles such as Morales in Bizet’s Carmen, Fiorello in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Alfio in Mascagni’s Cavalliera Rusticana, Cascada in Lehar’s The Merry Widow and Dr. Blind in Strauss Jr.’s Die Fledermaus.

Cha then broadened his repertoire by singing in oratorios, performing Handel’s Messiah, the Chinese Cantata Heliang Huabie, the role of Adam in Haydn’s The Creation and the bass solo in Beethoven’s Choral Symphony No.9. In Singapore, Cha won the roles of Marchese in La Traviata and Morales in Carmen in the Singapore Lyric Theatres opera productions. His deep yet bright tonal qualities as well as an instinctive musicality make him a favourite duet partner among his peers. Memorable local duets include those with lyric soprano Cecilia Yap in the Night of Classics charity concert held at the Petaling Jaya Civic Hall in May 30th2001 and also Voices of the Century concert at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Most recently, Cha sang as Angelotti in Lyric Opera Malaysia production of Puccini’s Tosca August 2003 to rave reviews. Also in September 2003 he sang the role of Gugliemo in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte in a production by La Camerata di Opera & Taipei Opera Theatre that was well-received by the public. In 2004 he was also in the The Merry Widow as Cascada and Carmen as Le Dancaire staged at Istana Budaya.
In addition, Cha also musically directed The Three Sopranos plus One concert in Sept 2002. He currently teaches voice at University Malaya’s Cultural Centre (Pusat Kebudayaan) and UiTM Music Education Dept , and is also the principal of Vocal
Talent Music.

JEFFERY CHEW - bass-baritone

Jeffery Chew, a native of Batu Pahat, Malaysia, began his vocal training at 17 under Malaysian tenor Mr.Armando Chin and Mr. Oh Chee Kiong. In 2002 he was selected to attend a masterclass with Korean baritone Mr. Lim Chung Kyun; as well as another masterclass by Scottish soprano Miss Catherine Croall and American tenor Rudolf Knoll in Singapore 2003. In 2004, he attended a masterclass with Miss Ning-Jiang, a vocal coach from USA. Currently he is now undergoing voice training with Singaporean tenor Mr. Lim Shieh Yih. He obtained his Grade 8 Vocal Exam from Guildhall Examination Board.
An avid competition singer since young, he was the former champion in the 1994 Johor Private School Singing Competition and the 1996 South Malaysia Singing Competition; and garnered first and second runner-up prizes in the 2001 & 2002 singing competition respectively. In 2004, he was the 3rd runner-up in the Malaysia Singapore Singing Competition. In 2005, he was also the winner of the Malaysia National Art Song Singing Competition for two consecutive years. In addition, he also won the 1st Runner up in the International Art Song Singing Competition in Singapore. Last year, he was the Grand-Finalist in the competition of Mondial Chinese Vocalist Concours Taipei 2005.

Throughout the previous years, Jeffery has performed several concerts in Malaysia and Singapore. His engagements include two productions of opera highlights produced by Singapore Lyric Opera as a chorus member; and a production of the Yellow River Cantata produced by Johor Bahru Music Association as a soloist. He was also invited to perform at the Taiwan Tainan National University of Art in 2005. In June 2006, he was the bass soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater held at the Cultural Center in the University of Singapore; and he was also invited to sing the role of Antonio in ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ which was held in July at the Esplanade Theater, Singapore.

EDDY CHIN - baritone

Eddy Chin grew up in Ipoh, where he sang as a chorister at the Methodist Church and while as a pupil of the Anglo-Chinese School.

He took male leads in Ipoh productions of musicals and sacred oratorio, which prepared him well as a singer of the classical repertoire including operetta, opera and German lieder when me moved to Kuala Lumpur.

He received his first impetus in singing under Helga Ziegler, wife of the Austrian ambassador to Malaysia. He often sang at The British Council, from whom he received a grant-in-aid to study singing at Trinity College of Music, London, under Elizabeth Hawes. He also studied under Italy-trained soprano Lillian Lee, who taught him the Italian opera technique.

His milestone achievement came when he was invited to sing alongside artistes from New York and other American opera houses at various annual Sime Darby ‘Le Grande Opera’ concerts. He has sung with Lyric Theatre Company of Singapore and Lyric Opera Malaysia excerpts from the operas of Verdi and Mozart and to a lesser degree Bizet, Donizetti and Wagner. With PESSOC (Penang State Symphony Orchestra & Chorus) he has sung the bass solo roles in Hadyn’s ‘Nelson’ Mass and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. He also sang the role of Raphael in the highly acclaimed Selangor Philharmonic Society presentation of Haydn’s Die Schopfung (The Creation) with the Malaysian National Symphony Orchestra under Antony Walker. This was followed by the baritone solo role in Carl Orrf’s. Camina Burana conducted by Roland Peelman. His long collaboration with The KL Chamber Music Players under the late James Vadiveloo has been augmented the last several years by stints at No Black Tie with pianist Evelyn Hii, with whom he performed in Bandar Seri Begawan in 2004 and 2005. He has also sung with the Kuala Lumpur Symphony Orchestra (KLSO) at its annual concerts, and has appeared as guest soloist in Ipoh with the Perak Society of Performing Arts (PSPA).

Eddy Chin has been highly credited for his singing of the songs of Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Hugo Wolf, besides the better-known songs of Mahler. The Goethe Institute in KL under Hans Sallman presented him in three successive annual recitals singing the foremost cycles of Schubert, to much critical acclaim. His rendition of the works of Handel, Bach, Mendelssohn, and Vaughn Williams has also received rave reviews.

A graduate of University of Malaya (B.A.Honours, Diploma in Education), he was a teacher in Ipoh and Petaling Jaya before he began a long career in advertising as copywriter, creative director, general manager and deputy managing director. He left mainstream advertising in 2000. His is the rare instance of one whose interest in singing enhanced his job career.

Eddy Chin is as comfortable singing numbers from musicals and modern-day show stoppers as he is songs from the classical repertoire. He now combines project work as a management and marketing communication trainer alongside teaching and guiding aspiring singers. With time left for appearing as a baritone soloist.

DAVID NGIM – counter-tenor

David is a graduate from the Malaysian Institute of Arts and the Xian Conservatory, China. He has also attended courses at the National Conservatory of Art, Taiwan, and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Netherlands.

David is extremely popular as a recitalist and has performed alongside some of the most respectable musicians in the country and the region. He has also made the challenging transition from tenor to counter-tenor and is one of the rare few to attempt such repertoire choices in the region. He has thus performed with the Kuala Lumpur Symphony Orchestra, sung alongside singers of caliber such as Tan Shin Xin, Armando Chin Yong, Lim Chin Hock, and many more. To date, he has given more than 30 recitals throughout Malaysia, an impressive figure for any singer. These include soloist in “The Yellow River” cantata, the opening ceremony of “The Art of Kebaya” on behalf of the National Cultural Department, and joint concerts with Armando Chin Yong and Lim Chin Hock. He has also been invited to give solo recitals in Xian, China and at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore. Currently, he has an album which features both his tenor and counter-tenor voices entitled “Two Voices, One Art”.

JOHN TAN - baritone

John has been studying voice since an early age and has previously studied under some of the most renowned names in the country such as Cecilia Yap, Armando Chin Yong, Angela Chock, Lim Cheng Hock and Lau Kok Yau to name a few. He is currently very active in the Klang Presbyterian Church as its choral conductor. His past performances include many oratorio works where he was the baritone soloist such as Elijah (2003 and 2005) and the Messiah (2006) with the Yin Qi Choir that were highly acclaimed. He was also a finalist in the Bangkok Opera International Vocal Competition in 2005. He has also recently given solo recitals in Te Deum.

TAN KHAR GEE - soprano

Tan Khar Gee was a graduate of the Malaysian Institute of Arts, majoring in voice under the guidance of renowned Malaysian soprano Ms Lillian Lee and studied piano with the late renowned Malaysian composer Mr Tan Loke Han, Mr Lean Hin Chong and Ms Tan Boon Gee.

Khar Gee furthered her studies in the Conservatory of China and later graduated with a Masters degree under the renowned vocal educator Prof. Wang Bin-Rui, and the equally renowned pianist Prof. Zhao Pi-Xun. Subsequently she left for Italy to further her studies at the Accademia Lirica Italiana under the tutelage of world renowned tenor Maestro Pier Miranda Ferraro and the renowned repetiteur Maestro Roberto Negri, both from the famous opera house Teatro Alla Scala, Milano. In Italy, she actively participated and represented the conservatory in major performances and received excellent reviews from the press. Consequently, she was awarded the Young Vocalist and Artist Certificate.

Her past performances include Bastienne from Bastien und Bastienne in Kuala Lumpur, recitals at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China, recital with Maestro Pier Miranda Ferraro at the Beijing Auditorium, China, an opera gala at the Hong Kong Auditorium, Violetta in the concert version of La Traviata at the Bao Li Theatre in Beijing, China, as well as many recitals in Italy including L’Estate Musicale Frentana, Lanciano, Concerto Lirica La Sala dell’ Aquabella Centro, Milano, Concerto sull’ Alle della Lirica , Bolzano, Concerto di Gala Dei Vincitori, Palermo, Concerto Saggio Di Fine Corso, Milano, and Concerto Lirico D’Estate, Milano. Since her recent return to the country in 2004, she has given many concerts in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia to great acclaim.

IRMA LAILATUL MUNIRA MUHAMAD – soprano

Irma is the youngest soprano in the cast and hails from Kangar, Perlis. She graduated from UiTM Shah Alam with an Honours Degree in Music Performance having studied under the celebrated Syafinaz Selamat. This marks her public debut in a
Mozart work and she will be singing the role of Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute next year at KLPAC. She has recently performed in the concert “Journey Through Music” held at The Actors Studio in Bangsar.

WANG DIXIA – mezzo-soprano

Dixia first studied voice with Dr. Zhang Hao from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music for two years before enrolling in the Shanghai Music High School, where she continued her studies with Prof. Wu Yiwen. Upon graduation in 2004, she went to Singapore and entered the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and took up a Diploma Course to study with renowned soprano, Nancy Yuen. In 2005 she won the first prize in the Singing Competition organized by the Trinity College of Music and came second in the NAFA's Singing Competition.

Earlier in 2006, she sang Dorabella in the full production of Act One of Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte" at NAFA to great critical acclaim and the performance was subsequently repeated at the Esplanade Concourse in Singapore. She is currently in the final year of her Diploma course.

TAN WEI HAN - tenor

Born and raised in Penang, Wei Han received his first vocal and piano training at the age of 9. He studied under various teachers namely Ms Tan Suat Har, Mr Ooi Aik Teong, Mdm Tong Kat Hong, Mr Lim Kean Seng, Mr Phang Kong Chian, Ms Cecilia Yap Keat Chee, Assoc. Prof. Chen Yong, and is currently under Ms Tan Khar Gee. He passed his ABRSM Grade 8 Examination with a distinction for voice and a merit for piano. Wei Han began his formal musical training at the Malaysian Institute of Arts whereby he completed 3 years of study and successfully obtained a diploma in music in 2002. He has performed extensively in numerous concerts both locally and abroad. In 2001 he emerged as the Champion of the 27th Malaysian Art Song Competition (Central region) and won the 4th prize at the Grand Final. Wei Han was awarded 1st prize at the 2001 National Classical Singing Competition organized by the Penang Symphony State Chorus. He was presented the Most Promising Singer Award at the Nissin International Competition by the Music Council of Japan. In 2002, he was selected to join the Asian Youth Choir by the Niigata Asian Cultural Festival in Japan. He was awarded the Best Student Award by the Malaysian Institute of Arts. In 2003, he performed as a soloist at the Singapore-Malaysia Young Singers Concert. In order to further his music studies in China, the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall organized his first solo recital to raise funds for his education. In 2004, Wei Han entered the famed Xian Conservatory of Music and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance degree.

CECILIA YAP - soprano

Cecilia Yap graduated from the Conservatorio of “Santa Cecilia” in Rome, Italy, under renowned sopranos K.S. Ann Saldarelli and Lorraine Nawa Jones Marenzi. After her graduation, she furthered her music studies with Marcello Ferroni- one of the most acclaimed operatic directors in “Arte Scenica”.

During her eight years in Italy she gave a number of recitals and appeared on several national TV programmes. She was the winner of the 7th International Vocal Competition at Cascina, Italy in 1994 and was the only Asian to enter the finals. Her performances received critical acclaim from “L’Opera”, a leading opera magazine, which noted her dramatic flair and refined vocal expression.

Since then, Cecilia has been a regular favourite in recital and opera in various countries including Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea and Singapore. Her recent operatic involvement include acclaimed appearances in various Penang Arts Council’s productions as Micaela in Carmen (1997 and 2004), Mother in Hansel und Gretel(1998) and Liu in Turandot (2003). She was also a featured soloist in the Singapore Lyric Opera 15th anniversary concert and the Nuit d’Amour opera gala as part of YTL’s 50th Anniversary celebrations.

As a recitalist, she has been invited several times to be a soloist in
Mendelssohn’s Oratorio “Elijah”, “The Yellow River” Cantata (2003), Haydn’s
Oratorio “The Creation”(2004), Mendelssohn’s choral works “Hymn of Praise”
and “Psalm 95”(2005) here and abroad. She has also given numerous solo recitals in Malaysia collaborating with various accomplished pianists such as Chong Kok Ting, Elaine Pao, Loo Bang Hean and Ng Chong Lim to great public and critical acclaim so much so that she was the recipient of the best solo performance of the year award at the 2002 Cameronian Arts Awards organised by ‘Kakiseni’ which confirmed her status as Malaysia’s top soprano.

2006 will see her giving a recital in Jakarta, Indonesia, and a solo recital of Hahn and Tosti pieces with Chong Kok-Ting. She also appeared as a soloist in “The Night of Hymns” concert at the Esplanade in Singapore recently, and was one of the sopranos featured in Artists Platform’s Diva! gala.

Frederica Chuang 莊佳惠- Solo Recital The Chinese Assembly Hall KL 2006

2008-06-28T12:40:00.017+08:00

女高音莊佳惠 - 声琴情深

Concert Programme

Barhms - O wüsst ich doch den Weg
Brahms – Vergebliches Ständchen
Schumann – Liebeslied
Mozart – In uomini, in soldati (Cosi fan Tutte)
Massenet – Adieu, notre petite table (Manon)
Puccini – Se come voi (Le Villi)

INTERVAL

吕远 - 九里里山疙瘩十里里沟
陈良 - 站在麦田边的姑娘
连信道 - 奉献
萧泰然 - 信望爱
萧泰然 - 一支草
台湾民歌 - 一只鸟
新疆民歌 - 塔里木
云南民歌 - 大河涨水沙浪沙

Diva! – The Chinese Assembly Hall KL 2006

2008-06-28T12:40:00.012+08:00

Diva - the phrase referring to the absolute prima donna - is a concert featuring three top sopranos from the region. The concert features celebrated arias and duets from well known operas like Aida, Madama Butterfly, La Wally, Rusalka, La Rondine ranging from Donizetti to Verdi and the verismo Italian composers.
Concerts featuring three soprano voices of distinct colour and timbre are seldom performed largely due to the difficulty of gathering such divas in the same place at the same time. In addition, it is common knowledge that on the stage, there can only be ONE diva. However, once this obstacle is surpassed, a concert featuring vocal fireworks, bursting passions and stratospheric vocal beauty is a definite guarantee.
Since time immemorial, mankind has always reached for the heavens and were always in love with angelic voices that could soar into the skies giving us glimpses of heaven. In opera the soprano voice is usually the most celebrated and composers would stumble over themselves to compose arias that would feature the vocal beauty and passion of their most favourite diva. Even in this day and age, the gravity defying vocal range of the soprano is a feat many still admire with awe and rapture.
And the divas we have assembled possess these qualities in abundance! Diva! promises you an evening of excitement, drama and passion. It will be without a doubt "the concert" of the year 2006 in Kuala Lumpur that everyone in the concert hall, including the opera and music aficionados, will be talking about.

Programme
Dich teure halle – Tannhauser
Wagner
Song to the moon – Rusalka
Dvorak
Merce dilette amiche – I Vespri Siciliani
Verdi
Suicidio! – La Gioconda
Ponchielli
Chi il bel sogno di Doretta - La Rondine
Puccini
Viene la sera – Madama Butterfly
Puccini

INTERVAL

O patria mia – Aida
Verdi
O terra addio – Aida
Verdi
Ecco l’orrido campo – Un Ballo di Maschera
Verdi
Ah, fors’e lui…..Sempre libera – La Traviata
Verdi
Morta al mondo e morta al tronno – Maria Stuarda
Donizetti

Soprano
Nancy Yuen
Jessica Chen
Cecilia Yap

Guest artist
Armando Chin Yong

Pianist
Kok-Ting Chong

Review by Lisa Ho
04. 07. 2006
Il Diva by Lisa Ho

Most people know that an opera “ain’t over till the fat lady sings”. Originating from a reference to Wagner’s Brunhilde singing the “Fire Song”, the sight of a shrieking fat lady in a steel bra and war helmet seems to be the accepted image of divas who sing in fat, polished tones but have less than impeccable manners.
The Diva! concert poster for the one-day-only recital of the 18th of June 2006 shows a lady in a shapeless, flowing robe entwined by long, thorny stalks of roses. The poster promises gasping excitement of flashing temperament in the shape of three renowned divas and one crackling accompanist.

To get a better view, I moved several rows to the front of the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall right beside one of the air conditioners that insisted on droning tunelessly. The organisers sensibly shut it down, but not before one half of the programme had already been sung. While waiting for the recital to start, I noted that Toh Puan Ena Ling and some other prominent Chinese business personalities were also present. In fact, the audience was so predominantly Chinese that the MC made his announcements and speeches in both Mandarin and English.

Initially, when the recital began, I was a little disappointed. First of all, there were no fat ladies at the Diva! concert. There were three well-endowed divas in flattering dresses who sang an extremely well-tempered performance without all the bad-tempered behaviour associated with divas. Then the accompanist was tall and thin as a rake. He made up for his lack of bulk with sensitive and clever piano-playing, and also by wearing a horrendous yellow shirt with his tails. The surprise element was a handsome divo with a superb tenor voice who flitted in and out to sing love and death duets with at least two of the divas. By the time the concert ended, I decided that it was one of the best singing concerts I have watched so far this year.

Jessica Chen, Nancy Yuen and Cecilia Yap were the three darling sopranos at the Diva! concert. They were more than competently accompanied on the piano by Chong Kok-Ting. Armando Chin Yong, the tenor, lent an air of drama with his powerful singing and was particularly moving in the encore piece “Che gelida manina”.

The first piece in the recital was “Dich, teure Halle” (You, lovely hall), a Wagner aria from Tannhäuser about a nice, big hall. This aria was performed by Jessica Chen from Taiwan, and was peculiarly appropriate as a kind of subtle dedication to the Chinese Assembly Hall and for its availability as a performance venue of classical concerts. In fact, the MC was full of praise for the hall and its acoustics (for which I disagree with him on two points: noisy air conditioning and a closed renovated section upstairs that somewhat dampened the upper harmonics of the voices towards the back of the hall). Jessica sang it well, but I thought the piece would have been more appropriate, not as the opening number but, as the second piece on the programme. Her aria from Ponchielli’s La Gioconda – “Suicidio!” – was both heart-rending and beautifully balanced in emotional and dramatic intensity.

Jessica Chen also sang two Verdi arias from Aida that showcased her dramatic soprano voice. Her “O Patria Mia” (O My Homeland) was delivered very steadily and with power until the very last high note, when her voice wavered a little. This break in the magic spell of her voice was due to, I believe, a break in her concentration when a mobile phone went off in the audience at that crucial moment. Although the opprobrium that rippled across the hall was barely spoken, its annoyance was generally felt because the sacred moment of the piece had been desecrated. The death duet, “O Terra, Adio” (O Earth, Farewell) which Jessica sang with Armando Chin Yong was touching; the scene was made even more tragic with their elegant and controlled portrayal of the Ethiopian princess and her Egyptian commander, both about to die buried alive.

Originally from Hong Kong, Nancy Yuen now lives in Singapore and has an enigmatic look on her face, not unlike a Singapore Girl airlines advertisement. Her voice was velvet, rich and bright. The audience roared in approval when she finished “Song to the Moon” from Dvorak’s Rusalka. What I really liked about the singing of this aria was the perfect control Nancy had on the high B-flat note that soared with dramatic intensity and yet, had a quality of incandescence about it. In lesser singers, this note is normally problematic as its descent requires technical mastery. The accompaniment by Kok-Ting was remarkably well paced and he played beautifully with a softness of touch that seemed to shimmer even as the last sung note disappeared.

Two middle-aged Chinese ladies giggled school-girlishly throughout the singing of the love duet “Viene la sera” (The Evening Comes) from Madama Butterfly while Nancy and Armando acted out the scene of Pinkerton and Butterfly’s wedding night. While the singing was gorgeous, my enjoyment of the aria was seriously marred by the nervous laughter and excited whispers of the two crones behind me. No amount of glaring from me or from the gentleman who sat beside me made them stop. I wondered if they were laughing in cathartic relief because they understood Italian and the full import of veiled irony in that aria, or laughing because they have never seen a love-scene on stage come so close to consummation, that crying would be unbearably prudish, or sterile.

As Butterfly, Nancy was demure, hesitant and shy. As Violetta in “Sempre Libera” of Verdi’s La Traviata (in which a courtesan resolves early in the opera to be “forever free” only to surrender to love in the next act), her singing was searing and almost wild. This was Nancy’s best aria in the recital. She sang with such ease and with a brilliance of tone that reverberated across the hall. Her mastery of all the intricate, swift passages with an extremely high tessitura distinguished her as prima donna of the evening. Her encore duet “Che gelida manina” (This little hand is frozen) from Pucinni’s La Bohème with Armando was a moment of pure musical delight, as both sang in measured passion which built up to a very moving climax. Armando sang best of all when paired with Nancy.

“Merce, dilette amiche” (Thank you, dear friends) from I Vespri Sicilianni by Verdi was a coloratura aria that was sung with great technical surety by Malaysian, Cecilia Yap who was in her element that evening. I felt that the quality of her voice was a little too bronze and heavy but there was no doubt about the vocal mastery with which she handled all the melismatic runs in the highly acrobatic piece. However, her best piece was the duet with Jessica Chen at the end of the recital. The very difficult duet “Morta al mondo e morta al trono” (Dead to the world and dead to the throne) from Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda (which was banned back then for depiction of royalty on stage) saw Cecilia as Queen Mary Stuart of Scotland and Jessica Chen as Queen Elizabeth in a spat of gargantuan proportions over a man. In this grueling duel of a duet, Cecilia sang and acted with flashing fury against the cold and calculating Jessica. The singing by both singers was filled with heightened tension, and only with a sure vocal technique could this demanding piece be performed with credibility. I felt that Cecilia did remarkably well in the singing of this piece, and when she had to sing a segment of “Vissi d’arte” (I lived for art) from Puccini’s Tosca as part of her encore, her voice soar with such beauty and power, that I felt it was a shame that she did not sing the whole aria as part of the recital.

There was a lot of clapping at the end of the performance. Many in the audience stood up, yelling their approval of the concert. There were many, many flowers too, and in an almost operatically absurd way, even the MC joyfully received a bouquet of flowers for himself. Chong Kok-Ting, the accompanist deserved the accolades he received that evening for ensuring a platform of performance for operatic and classical through his organisation, Artists Platform. Armando Chin Yong, Malaysia’s best operatic tenor, gave very elegant and beautifully interpreted performances of the duets he sang with the sopranos, never overshadowing them, as this was the divas’ show.

When will these singers be asked to perform at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra?

~ ~ ~

Lisa Ho is back!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theatre: The divas are coming
Chow Ee Tan
Forget the three tenors, catch the three sopranos.

They are the prima donnas of the operatic world, so it is fitting that their concert is entitled Diva!

Nancy Yuen from Singapore, Jessica Chen from Taiwan and Malaysian Cecilia Yap will be joined by well-known local tenor Armando Chin Yong in a concert presented by Artists Platform, the brainchild of pianist Chong Kok Ting.

Chong said the soprano voice is usually the most celebrated. “Concerts featuring sopranos of different styles and voices are seldom performed, largely due to the difficulty of gathering such divas together at the same place and time.”

It is also common knowledge that on the stage there can be only ONE diva. “It is interesting to have three leading ladies of very different styles, colours and timbres, and personalities together in one concert. It has never been done before locally,” he said.

The repertoire consists of 11 pieces of celebrated arias and duets from well known operas such as Aida, Madame Butterfly, La Traviata, Rusalka and La Rondine, composed by Italian maestros such as Donizetti, Puccini and Verdi.

Yuen, a top graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, was born in Hong Kong and based in the UK and Singapore. She has made Cio-Cio-San (Madame Butterfly) her signature role, which won her International acclaim. She repeated the role with the English National Opera, West Australian Opera, Opera Queensland, Opera Northern Ireland, Singapore Lyric Opera and at the London Royal Albert Hall.

Meanwhile, Chen possesses a dramatic mezzo-soprano range that carries a cannon-shot volume and intensity that enables her to sing some of the most treacherous roles in opera.

“From a mezzo career, she developed her singing repertoire to include spinto and dramatic soprano roles that include Turandot and Aida,” Chong said.

“As for Yap, she is a lirico spinto soprano who has a sharp and powerful resonance, as well as lyrical warmth in her singing,” he added.

Yap graduated from the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy, and spent eight years in Italy under famous operatic directors. She was the winner of the 7th International Vocal Competition at Cascina, and was the only Asian in the finals.

For the last few years, Yap has been travelling around the region. She has been involved in opera productions such as playing the role of Micaela in Carmen and Liu in Turandot, and also sang solo in oratorios.

As for Chong, he was involved in concert engagements that has taken him around Europe and Asia, performing in music festivals as an accompanist and a solo pianist.

This talented musician was awarded a scholarship to Trinity college of Music in London and won the John Longmire Beethoven prize, the John Halford Rachmaninoff prize and the Elisabeth Schumann prize for accompanist.

Chong said “The piano as an accompaniment is more intimate. When working with the orchestras, some details can be brushed over.”

Having said that, he admitted it was not easy for him to accompany the arias, originally played by a full orchestra.

He said that Artists Platform is planning a series of classical programs with vocalists including a semi-staged production of The Magic Flute, in collaboration with the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, and an evening of arias and ensemble for the 250th anniversary celebration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birth.

Diva!

Date: June 18th 2006
Time: 8pm
Venue: The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
No, 1, Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur
For details, call Jennifer at
016-908 2615

Casta Diva – Ancora Bel Canto Indonesia at The Dharmawangsa Jakarta 2006

2008-06-28T12:39:00.007+08:00

Concert Programme

Belle nuit - Les Contes d'Hoffman (Ensemble)
Offenbach

Casta diva - Norma (Cecilia Yap)
Bellini

Oh! Quante volte - I Capuletti e I Montecchi (Angela Chok)
Bellini

Ah! Non credea mirarti - La Sonnambula (Binu Sukaman)
Bellini

In questa reggia - Turandot (Jessica Chen)
Puccini

Voi lo sapete - Cavalleria Rusticana (Jessica Chen)
Mascagni

Ebben! Ne andro lontana (Cecilia Yap)
Catalani

INTERVAL

Suicidio! - La Gioconda (Jessica Chen)
Ponchielli

Deh vieni non tarda - Le Nozze di Figaro (Angela Chok)
Mozart

Je dis que rien - Carmen (Cecilia Yap)
Bizet

Non so le tetre immgini - Il Corsaro (Angela Chok)
Verdi

Tacea la notte placida - Il Trovatore (Binu Sukaman)
Verdi

Dich teure Halle - Tannhauser (Jessica Chen)
Wagner

O mio babbino caro - Gianni Schicchi (Ensemble)
Puccini

Nuit d’Amour – YTL 50th Anniversary Concert at the KL Performing Arts Center 2005

2008-06-28T12:38:00.009+08:00

Concert Programme

. Belle nuit (Ensemble)
Les Contes d'Hoffman - Offenbach

. Casta diva (Cecilia Yap)
Norma - Bellini

. Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (Peter Ong)
Das Land des Lächchelns - Lehar

. Madamina! Il catalogo é questo (Aw Yeow Hoay)
Don Giovanni - Mozart

. De puis le jour (Tan Khar Gee)
Louise - Charpentier

. Act Three Finale Quartet (Cecilia Yap, Tan Khar Gee, Armando Chin Yong, Cha Seng Tiang)
La Boheme - Puccini

INTERVAL

. Oh! Quante volte (Angela Chok)
I Capuletti e I Montecchi - Bellini

. Che farò senza Euridice (David Ngim)
Orfeo ed Euridice - Gluck

. Pur ti miro (David Ngim, Angela Chok)
L'Incoronazione di Poppea - Monteverdi

. Una furtiva lagrima (Tan Wei Han)
L'Elisir d'amore - Donizetti

. Avant de quitter ces lieux (Cha Seng Tiang)
Faust - Gounod

. Ping Pang Pong Trio (Aw Yeow Hoay, Peter Ong, Tan Wei Han)
Turandot - Puccini

. In questa Reggia (Jessica Chen)
Turandot - Puccini

. Act Three Finale (Ensemble)
Turandot - Puccini

Melodie du soir – French Art Festival at The Actors Studio Bangsar 2002

2008-06-28T12:35:00.005+08:00

Concert Programme

Donizetti – Il barcaiolo
Bellini – Almen se non poss’io
Bellini – Il fervido desiderio
Rossini – Arogonese

Pauline Viardot – Mazurka
Pauline Viardot – Hai Luli!
Pauline Viardot – Les filles de Cadiz
Pauline Viardot – Evocation

INTERVAL

Duparc - Chanson triste
Cahusson – Le Colibri
Hahn – L’heure exquise

Ravel – Habanera
Gounod – Bolero
Bizet – Guitare
Massenet - Sevillana

13. 06. 2002
An Evening of Romantic Art Songs by Clarissa Lee

Walking into an adjoining Yamaha showroom has me observing a bespectacled man engrossed in perfecting a section of his music. He is so pre-occupied that it took him awhile to realize that the journalist is standing not too far away from him. A warm greeting ensues from Kok-Ting Chong, the pianist, and we got down to serious music of talking music, especially Viardot and art songs. Cecilia Yap Keat Chee, the soprano, is on her way here.

Kok-Ting explains, “The repertoire for this particular Artist Platform performance emerged out of my having discovered this great soprano-composer, Pauline Viardot. She was a famous and influential 19th century singer in Europe who is not only famed for her vocal prowess but also for her compositions that were of high quality and very much sensitive to the needs of the voice. When I first heard the performance of one of her works, I fell in love with the beauty of her compositions and henceforth strived to bring her works out to the Malaysian public. Viardot works very closely with the composers that she sings for and many of them actually composed the music for her voice, composers like Saint-Saens, Bizet, Donizetti, Bellini and Schumann. She made her debut at the age of 17, singing the role of Desdemona in Rossini’s Otello”.

“Besides the opera houses, Pauline also sang in salons, especially her own salon, where intellectuals and artistically inclined people would gather to have tête-à-têtes on issues of the day. It was not only the purity of her voice, but her presence and the intelligence in her singing that commands the attention of the audience. Unlike arias and operas, art songs require a less dramatic way of declaiming, a more delicate and sensitive handling of the voice. It means being more attentive to each subtle nuance of the vocals, as every enunciation of a word and note is very important. Therefore, details have a more profound influence here than in a big opera. The accompaniment for the art songs, are very much in a class of their own. Unlike arias and operas where the accompaniment is relegated to the background, for art songs, they are needed to go hand-in-hand with the vocals, hence enhancing the listening experience and providing the needed edge,” he concludes.

Whilst the first half of the programme features mainly better-known arias and Italian music next to Pauline Viardot’s own compositions, the second half has music that is more sophisticated, with beautiful harmonies, as well as strong Spanish influences.

“Incidentally, Pauline is a Spaniard and she wanted to introduce these songs to the salons in France where she was born. Hence, one gets songs like the Habanera, a kind of Spanish dance composition by Ravel, the Bolero by Gounod which was dedicated to Pauline, and the Sevillana by Massenet.”

“One aim of the Artists Platform is to introduce new works to the public, and art songs are one neglected genre that I would like to share with others. I have been working with these songs since my college days in Europe and was influenced by my teachers into learning more about these works. It is sad that such good quality compositions by Viardot have been so neglected. Whilst searching through the Internet, I discovered a publisher who publishes at least 60% of her works and I hope to introduce them bit by bit over here. Art songs cover such a wide compass of musical compositions, both in Europe and Asia. The Chinese have their own versions of art songs, and so do the Indonesians. I hope to include these in time to come.”

“I got to know Cecilia 4 years ago and found a person as adventurous as myself to work with. We have collaborated in the past in various musical schemes, including If My Verses Have Wings produced by Dama House. I feel that to work together with a singer, you need to have a close working rapport where you could feel her every need and be sensitive to the subtle fluctuations of her voice. This is not the kind of thing that you could get from just 1 or 2 rehearsals. Such co-operation needs to be ongoing for the chemistry to work.”

When asked about the languages she has been singing in and the difficulties encountered, Cecilia, who has been listening to our conversation, demurely replies, “I sing in Chinese, Italian, French, and Spanish. Having studied voice in the St Cecilia Conservatory of Music in Rome, I can speak Italian. There is a linguistic similarity between Italian and French and Latin so it wasn’t hard picking up the other two.”

“We also have friends who help to coach us in unfamiliar words. For instance, the inspiration I have for Melodie du Soir was from a couple now in Beijing. Melodie is the French equivalent of art song,” Kok-Ting adds.

When asked about Viardot’s proficiency as a composer, both Kok-Ting and Cecilia agree that Cecilia’s experience as a singer gave her a deeper understanding of the needs of a vocalist and in linking the accompaniment with the voice. They were unanimous on the fact that the simpler the song seems, the harder it is to achieve technical proficiency.

As if to add weight to their words, Kok-Ting and Cecilia performed two of their awe-inspiring repertoire for the interviewer. For those who would like to catch our Malaysian soprano who may very well be the next Cecilia Bartoli and to listen and learn from a professional accompanist who knows his stuff, don’t forget to get your tickets for this Saturday!

Catch Melodie du Soir at The Actors Studio Bangsar on 15 June 2002 at 8.30pm.