Download September 2009 - Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra

Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra Inc.
MEDIA RELEASE
Monday 31 August 2009
Join the SSSO for Nostalgia, Pop Opera and Film
Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra (SSSO) will welcome spring with a delightful
evening of Nostalgia, Pop Opera and Film at Sutherland Entertainment Centre from 8pm
on Saturday, 12 September 2009.
Under the baton of Principal Conductor and Musical Director, Sven Libaek, southern
Sydney’s premier community orchestra will take patrons on a nostalgic journey featuring
movie and popular opera themes including Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess suite, Williams’
Theme from Superman, Bizet’s Carmen Suite No. 1, Jarre’s The Year of Living
Dangerously, and Mr Libaek’s own suite from the score he composed for the documentary,
The James Craig Sails Again.
The concert will feature special Special Guest Artist, Tenor Benjamin Loomes, who will
bring his unique talents to many famous works including "Ecco ridente in cielo" from
Rossini's Barber of Seville, "Smiling Eyes" from Gilbert & Sullivan's The Gondoliers,
Manning Sherwin and Eric Maschwitz’s A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square and George
and Ira Gershwin’s A Foggy day in London Town.
“Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra will bring a delightful evening of music and song
together as we play some best-loved works, ranging from Bizet to Gershwin, Jarre and
others who have composed some beloved and memorable works,” Mr Libaek said.
Benjamin Loomes is an honours graduate in music from the University of Sydney, where
he majored in composition. Benjamin studied voice with Maree Ryan, and currently works
with Stephen Yalouris. Benjamin was a founding member of Pinchgut Opera, directed by
Antony Walker, and performed as soloist in Orfeo, released on CD by ABC Classics. As
well as numerous other oratorio performances in Australia and the UK, in 2004 he sang
the tenor solo in Messiah at Sydney Town Hall and was featured in the ABC TV
documentary Fly on the Wall Messiah. Benjamin is currently working as a musical director
in Opera Australia's WotOpera project.
In 2003, Benjamin performed the role of Brian in his chamber opera The Boat, and he
sang the title role in the opera The Game Master at the Seymour Centre. Benjamin sang a
lead role in Eugene and Roe as a part of the 2004 Sydney Festival. Benjamin works
regularly with Australian film composers, and in 2006 his voice appeared in the short film
Sexy Thing at the Cannes Film Festival. Last year Benjamin travelled to London where he
sang the lead role in the new musical Crusade, which he co wrote. Crusade was
workshopped by Kookaburra and will debut in December at St Andrew Cathedral School.
Past roles with Rockdale Opera include: Gabriel Eisenstein in Johann Strauss' Fledermau;
and the title role in Fra Diavolo. This year he starred as Sir Walter Raleigh in German's
Merrie England. Benjamin's last performance with SSSO was as the tenor soloist in
Mozart's Requiem.
Sven Libaek first conducted the Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra in 1975, and took over
as resident conductor in 1996. A graduate of the famous Juilliard School in New York, Mr
Libaek is an internationally renowned composer of film and television scores. He was a leading
composer for the animation company, Hanna-Barbera, and has worked with many artists
including Neil Diamond and Lionel Ritchie.
Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1970. Over the past 39 years, it has
developed to become one of Australia’s most prestigious community orchestras and a major
training orchestra for young musicians. The orchestra performs a series of four concerts each
year in Sutherland and regularly tours to other centres around NSW as well.
Tickets for Nostalgia, Pop Opera and Film cost $20 for adults and $17 for concessions,
with primary schoolchildren accompanied by an adult admitted FREE. Pre-show dining is
also available, with reservations essential on 9521 8888.
Contact the Sutherland Entertainment Centre for tickets on 9521 8888. The Centre is
located at 30 Eton Street, Sutherland.
Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra is generously supported by Sutherland Shire
Council. For more information about the orchestra, visit www.ssso.org .
Nostalgia, Pop Opera and Film
Full concert program
•
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess Medley
•
Rossini: "Ecco ridente in cielo" from Barber of Seville*
•
Sherwin/Maschwitz: A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square*
•
Edward German: "English Rose" from Merrie England*
•
Gilbert and Sullivan: "Smiling Eyes" from The Gondoliers*
•
Sherwin and Maschwitz: A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square*
•
Gershwin: A Foggy day in London Town*
•
Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1
•
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey)
•
Williams: Theme from Superman
•
Jarre:The Year of Living Dangerously
•
Norman: Theme from James Bond
•
Mancini: Tribute to Mancini
•
Rowland: The Man from Snowy River
•
Libaek: Suite from James Craig Sails Again
* Features Soloist, Tenor Benjamin Loomes