News Archive
PRESS RELEASE – 23/07/2006
Opera Alba
Concert Review by Garry Fraser, Courier, DC Thomson
For all those looking for a relaxed and light-hearted musical start to the Dundee holiday fortnight, the Tasting Rooms, South Ward Road, last night was the place to be. As part of Dundee 's Summer Festival, Opera Alba were there to present a mixture of favourites from opera and operetta, sung with an nice informality but with plenty of expertise. The ensemble, Daisy Henderson (soprano) Jenny Wilson-Best (soprano), John Carlo Bellotti (tenor) and Steven Faughey (baritone) were all in fine voice, with admirable accompanying from pianist Oliver Rundell.
The mix of music was excellent. The opening Brindisi from Verdi's La Traviata was a perfect introduction and the music, some familiar some not so, flowed on courtesy of Dvorak, Mozart, Bernstein and Puccini to name but few. There were many highlights, and these included a wonderful Soave sia il Vento from Cosi Fan Tutti and the famous quartet from Verdi's Rigoletto. Any solos were performed with style and skill, but it was the ensemble singing, which Opera Alba are renowned, which gave a small but appreciative audience much to remember.
PRESS RELEASE – 22/07/2006
‘Morning, Noon and Night Concerts’
Concert Review by Garry Fraser, Courier, DC Thomson
One of the most interesting features of this year's Dundee Summer Festival was Saturday's Morning, Noon and Night concerts, three recitals in three venues with three excellent performers.
Alison Mitchell, principal flautist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, started this mini-series with a completely flawless performance on board the Frigate Unicorn. Her programme was wide and varied, but in whatever she played she showed an exquisite technique and an ability to perform highly-challenging works with ease. A Sonata by C.P.E Bach, beautifully played, set the scene for an hour of perfection. My favourite was a splendid piece by Eugene Bozza. This is probably one of the ultimate tests for flautists, but Alison's performance was terrific.
Moving on to Discovery Point for the 'Noon part of the day, and I looked forward very much to Robert Irvine's cello recital. The repertoire for solo cello is not as wide as that for solo flute, but Robert's choice of two J.S.Bach solo suites made my day. This was as confident an exact a performance of these challenging works as I have heard, and whatever the mood, the playing was vibrant, with a wonderful tone. A Canto by Giles Swayne was a perfect foil to these classical gems, a wonderful array of African beats and melodies played with considerable panache.
Taking centre stage in the evening in the Tasting Rooms, South Ward Road , was pianist Graeme McNaught. I had heard him earlier in the month as an accompanist and was greatly impressed, but what I heard on Saturday did make me sit up and take notice. His style and technique is superb. Three Impromptus by Schubert were delivered in scintillating style and a Ravel Sonatine was beautifully interpreted. I thought his performance of two works by Chopin topped the lot, particularly the B Flat minor Scherzo. This was dynamite!
A brilliant day of music, enjoyed by all whom attended and surely a springboard for an equally successful repeat next year.
PRESS RELEASE – 18/07/2006
Dundee's City Centre transformed by German Market
Mini wooden chalets have sprung up in the city centre signalling the start of Dundee’s first German Market as part of the Dundee Summer Festival.
City Centre Action Group Chair and member of City of Discovery Campaign, Simon Donaldson remarked on the transformation of the City Square and how beautifully presented each stall was.
City of Discovery's Chairman, Lord Provost John Letford said, “Dundee’s Summer Festival’s aim is to encourage people to ‘rediscover our city’. The City of Discovery has so much for residents and visitors to see and do and with our festival guide everyone can take in all that can be discovered.
City Centre Action Group Chair Simon Donaldson said, “The market was buzzing this morning with inquisitive shoppers which is great for Dundee and demonstrates the innovative and creative outlook the city has for encouraging shoppers to come to its city centre and enjoy all our leisure and retail facilities.”
Running from Thursday 13 to Sunday 30 July City of Discovery residents and visitors are encouraged to peruse the vast array of speciality German produce and trinkets.
Cuckoo Clocks, German Salami and Pancakes are just some of the items on sale at the 18-day market, as well as traditional German tablecloths, leather ware and nuts and dried fruits.
Organiser Guy Nyhuis said the German Market is a great addition to Dundee ’s summer programme.
He said, “The market is a real sceptical – with each trader selling from beautiful mini wooden chalets creating a real special, magical feel for visitors making their way round all the stalls.”
PRESS RELEASE – 18/07/2006
‘Naughty Baby Cabaret’
Concert Review by Garry Fraser, Courier, DC Thomson
There are three things integral to a successful cabaret… the music, the artistes and the venue. Last Night's Dundee Summer Festival concert hit the right note on all three. The music was sultry and slightly decadent, the performers excellent and the venue, up to last night untried but eventually passing with flying colours. The evening was entitled "Naughty Baby Cabaret" and pianist Graeme McNaught and mezzo-soprano Sandra Porter conjured up enough musical naughtiness, the sort you could identify with a 1930s cabaret. All the elegant Tasting Rooms in South Ward Road lacked was a haze of cigarette smoke!
Sandra had the skill of interpretation and delivery to bring out every nuance of the songs portrayed, a laid-back casual nonchalance that was perfect for the evening. There was a plethora of composers on the programme and the contribution of each was sung with considerable style. I enjoyed them all, but I thought Jeremy Nicholas's Usherette's Blues and Song Of A Nightclub Proprietress, by Madeleine Dring, were sensational. Songs in the cabaret style came thick and fast, with Britten's Tell Me The Truth About Love standing out alongside two simmering smoking songs by Poulenc and Gruber, called Hotel and Rauchlied.
Throughout all this, Graeme McNaught's accompanying was exemplary and he showed he was an excellent soloist in his own light with three pieces by Guastavino.
The singing and playing was enough to make the evening a considerable success, but it was the informality of presentation and setting that it made it just that little bit special.
PRESS RELEASE – 14/07/2006
Music-lovers in for a Golden Time in Dundee
A special announcement was made recently to launch the Dundee Summer Festival “Just the Ticket” Scheme. City of Discovery Chair Lord Provost John Letford showed the ‘Golden Envelope’ which will contain the secret concert name and random serial number of the ticket that will be the eventual winner of a fabulous prize.
Music-lovers attending opera, classical and jazz concerts at the Dundee Summer Festival may be getting more than they bargained for when they buy a ticket for their chosen event…
Organisers of the festival have introduced a golden ticket scheme which will offer one lucky concert-goer the chance to win a half day spa package and a meal for two courtesy of the Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa Dundee.
But it will be essential to hang on to your ticket stub to ensure that you have proof of purchase to claim your prize.
Lord Provost John Letford of Organisers City of Discovery Campaign said: “We thought it would introduce a little more mystery and excitement to proceedings to introduce a Willie Wonka style golden ticket. The tickets are all numbered.
“We will make an announcement at the end of the Festival as to which ticket wins a truly fabulous prize. We will publish the number on our website and through the good offices of our friends in the media.”
To date the Festival has met with great success, with an appreciative crowd turning out for the special candlelit opening concert on the Frigate Unicorn with classical guitarist Allan Neave.
PRESS RELEASE – 10/07/2006
Ideal Curtain Raiser to Summer Festival
Concert Review by Garry Fraser, Courier, DC Thomson
For all those thirsty for live guitar music, and perhaps disappointed that the Dundee Guitar Festival did not take place this year, there was a welcome oasis on Saturday night on board the frigate Unicorn.
This was the opening concert of the Dundee Summer Festival, and those who were there witnessed a display by Allan Neave of skill and precision. There was music from Cuba, Russian, Spain and even Dundee, but this interesting diversity was matched with an admirable consistency of performance.
Alan opened with a wonderful set of variations by Fernando Sol on A Cara Armonia from Mozart's Magic Flute, a marked contrast to Leo Browser's Elogio de la Danza. I would not put the latter on top of my all-time favourites, but the quality of the performance had to be admired.
The Lavender Truck composed by Dundee's Don Paterson was interesting as it meandered along, and from then the concert skipped by in an increasingly enjoyable fashion.
Allan's attempt to premiere a work by Marek Pasioczny was dashed due to the lack of completion of the commissioned piece, but the audience were compensated with a marvellous Grenada by Albeniz.
I was also impressed with Antonio Laura’s Suite Venezuelan, of which the third part was out of this world. With moments of musical eccentricity thrown in, courtesy of the Japanese Toru Takemitsu and Russia's Nikita Koshkin, this concert was an all-round affair and Allan’s interesting and relaxed introductions contributing in no small way to an excellent concert, and the ideal curtain-raiser to this year's Festival.
PRESS RELEASE – 07/07/2006
Taste the Music
The Tasting Rooms have come to the rescue of the Dundee Summer Festival offering the services of their baby grand piano.
The gourmet food and wine emporium, which recently won best newcomer of the year 2006 in the Dundee Retail Awards, will now host Naughty Baby Opera Cabaret on Thursday, July 13 and the Night Concert on Saturday, July 22. Both performances were previously to be held in the Apex City Quay Hotel.
Naughty Baby Opera Cabaret, a programme of classical cabaret in a 30’s nightclub style, will be performed by Mezzo Soprano Sandra Porter and pianist Graeme McNaught who will entertain in a slightly unconventional manner appealing to a wider audience base.
Professionally trained and award winning pianist Graeme McNaught will again delight the crowd with a Night time recital. Described as a musician of authority and imagination he is sure to enchant the audience as part of the Morning, Noon and Night concerts devised for a grand musical day out.
A Dundee Summer Festival Spokesperson said, “We have had great difficultly in locating and being able to move to the Apex a grand piano of the standard the performances require.”
“Therefore the decision has been taken to move these two concerts to The Tasting Rooms as a baby grand piano is already in residence there and the ambience of the venue’s surrounding is in keeping with the style of the entertainment.”
Tasting Rooms Director Graeme Scott said he was very happy to be supporting the Dundee Summer Festival in this way. He said, “The ethos behind the festival is very much a reflection of our ambition for the City of Discovery, to foster a pride of what Dundee has to offer its residents and visitors and therefore projecting that to a wider audience.”
Full details of ‘Whats On’ at the Dundee Festival can be found at:
Lord Provost John Letford, Chairman of the City of Discovery Campaign, said: “During the month of July residents and visitors to Dundee will be encouraged to ‘Rediscover our City’ through the programme of events that includes the local walks led by Dundee Healthy Living Initiative, East Coast Sailing Week, a programme of musical concerts and much more – getting people out and about, rediscovering what the city has to offer.”
“As Chairman of the City of Discovery Campaign I am very pleased the Campaign is able to be part of the joint committee organising the first Dundee Summer Festival and I hope that both residents and visitor to the city will enjoy the programme of activities and musical concerts.”