KVT – Heavenly Fireworks at Nha Hat Lon

KVT – Heavenly Fireworks at Nha Hat Lon

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Sunday. What a night at Nha Hat Lon!!!

The Melchior Ensemble (violin, cello, clarinet, piano) was so heavenly that it won the unanimous approval of whatever Entities and God/esses look down from above and they smote the Opera House dome with a huge thunderclap of applause and a lightning bolt of wow, wow, wow. Sparks to express approbation streamed from the great crystal chandelier and as a tribute to divine playing the whole stage and auditorium were plunged into blackness while cellist David Cohen kept playing the ‘Paganini Variation on One String on a theme from Moses by Rossini’ on his A string and Charles Owen deftly played the grand piano… and then… just as the playing drew to a subtle pause the lights soared back and as the audience joined their rapturous applause of appreciation and relief to the ongoing thunder of the Entities and the two musicians calmly moved on… The bravos at the end were enormous and the audience emerged for interval to see the skies weeping with enjoyment and emotion.

A superb night (all free thanks to the European Union) with a superb mix of the classic classics with modern variations and contemporary compositions. In many ways a challenging night for many in the audience but so delightfully played and presented that it’s no wonder that the Entities joined in with a tympanic boom as my favorite of the night (a transcription on Handel by Halvoorsen) paused for breath.

Many in the audience were enraptured with the cheeky, boyish features and engaging manner of Ensemble leader, David Cohen while others couldn’t helped but be entranced by the svelte beauty and talent of young Polish violinist Alicja Smietana. Swiss clarinetist Reto Bieri was totally gorgeous (according to my female neighbors), and so was his playing, while Charles had already won heavenly plaudits.

A night to remember for its pyrotechnics, both musically and meteorologically.

I’m a Melchior fan and can hardly wait to attend another recital or get a CD whenever one is released… and I’m sure that the Entities will be following them to TP. HCM and further.

A word of advice to classical concert organizers… get the French involved. They seem to know how to curb the use of mobile phones and flash cameras.

Not a reviewer, not a critic, “Kiếm Văn Tìm” is an interested, impartial and informed observer and connoisseur of the Hanoi art scene who offers highly opinionated remarks and is part of the long and venerable tradition of anonymous correspondents. Please add your thoughts in the comment field below.

5 COMMENTS

  1. The concert was wonderful with all the thunderstorms and sparks from the light! :)) When the hall went into black, the two musicians kept playing!!! How professional they are! I really love Melchior’s performance: both the way they played and the way they contacted with audiencess: so young, so friendly an so humorous!
    However, some audiences spoiled the concert by their mobile, their cameras and private talk also! I agree with KVT about the French! Next time, EU delegation to Vietnam should invite the French to save the concert from mobile and flash camera (like what they did with Muraro’s concert)

  2. It was a superb night indeed, I did enjoy every moment. Could you please give me the list of pieces performed that night? Thank you.

  3. Đó là một đêm nhạc tuyệt vời, khiến có đôi lúc tôi không kìm được nước mắt. 1 cây đàn piano, 1 cây violon, 1 cây kèn và 1 cây cello, những nghệ sĩ ấy biết làm thế nào để biến sân khấu NHL ngày hôm đó trở thành một thánh đường thực sự, bùng nổ trong cảm xúc âm nhạc. Chỉ tiếc thỉnh thoảng phát ra vài tiếng Nokia tune rất vô duyên và khó chịu, không biết đến bao giờ người ta mới tôn trọng không gian của các buổi biểu diễn hơn?

  4. what an amazing night! Thanks to the European Union for bringing such talented artists to Hanoi. I couldn’t help myself falling in love with Trio Elegiaque No.1 in G minor :)

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