Christ Church Cathedral had a more cultural approach as its contribution to Waterford Spraoí, with an organ recital to accompany a late night showing of the silent classic Faust.
Their Sunday evening concert was a more esoteric event with a Renaissance consort of recorders and a mezzo-soprano where the emphasis was a bit specialist and of limited appeal and the indifferent weather didn’t help.
Orfea Britannica was made up out of a Renaissance version of the Orpheus legend with 16th century music from Taverner, Dowland and Ferrabosco. There were no clear plotlines or a story arc that would hold an audience despite the fine recorder playing of a quintet Vuenv from Graz, Bremen and Basel who had a range of 16 recorders including the taller than a person Sub Base recorder.
Sharon Carty, mezzo-soprano sang the various songs that made up the piece and it is probably the unemotional style of the music that struck a dirge-like tone. The mood of the lyrics was despair, misfortune, death including Sorrow Come and O Death, Rock Me Asleep.
While this concert was the opening show of an Arts Council funded tour it did seem to lack what might best be described as stage management with the five players swopping around sheet music and instruments. There was also the hesitance of the audience to know when to applaud. You can get some useful information at https://bingo77uk.com/little-miss-bingo-review if you’re interested in online bingo. There was a detailed programme and words of the songs. The applause at the end was spirited and warm.
