New orchestral piece sparkles like the lake
Published on 27 April 2022
A sensationally uplifting concert overture will be presented to audiences for the very first time, in an open-air concert on the shores of Lake Macquarie on Sunday 1 May 2022.
The mima Concert Overture, created by internationally renowned composer Dr Stephen Lalor for the Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima (MAP mima) in Speers Point Park, will be performed live on stage by the Lake Macquarie Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Freeman of the City Mercia Buck OAM and conducted by Christopher Bearman OAM.
MAP mima Curator Pippa Budge said the new work, commissioned by Lake Macquarie City Council, captures and enhances the atmosphere of the new state-of-the-art pavilion.
“We are thrilled to present this exceptional new work by Dr Stephen Lalor, in which he employs his mastery to so beautifully evoke a unique sense of place,” Ms Budge said.
Dr Lalor is an internationally renowned composer and performer. His works have been performed by Opera Australia, the Melbourne Festival, the Queensland Ballet and Opera House Choral Concerts, and have featured in the Sydney Symphony’s Opera House Nightlounge Chamber Music series.
Dr Lalor said it was an honour to be commissioned to create an overture for Lake Macquarie City and see it performed by the Lake Macquarie Philharmonic Orchestra as part of the mima concert.
“The work was inspired by the distinct natural environment and history of Lake Macquarie,” Dr Lalor said.
“The fanfare-like opening quickly passes like a brief storm across the lake. The ‘calm after the storm’ is embodied by quietly pulsating pizzicato strings, like gently lapping waves, punctuated by birdcall-like woodwind flourishes.”
The concert will feature the debut performance of the mima Concert Overture, along with many philharmonic favourites, including Summer Days by Eric Coates, Swan Lake Suite Opus 20 a by Tchaikovsky, Adagio from Spartacus by Khatchaturian (the theme from the BBC series The Onedin Line), and Molly on the Shore by Percy Grainger arranged by Leopold Stokowsky.
Guest soloists are soprano Ashlee Woodgate and tenor Sam Elmi who will sing arias from the Opera Hunter production of La Traviata, which is scheduled for the venue on 14 and 16 October this year.
The concert is brought to audiences as part of MAP mima presents, a series of curated performances that highlight the unique nature of MAP mima as a multi-purpose performance space that integrates art and technology.
The MAP mima presents program is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW and the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative.
Tickets are available at arts.lakemac.com.au and are $30 for individuals and $80 for families (two adults + two children under 18). Lake Mac Arts members can access tickets at the discounted prices of $27 for individuals and $72 for families. Seating is provided.
For bookings and more information, visit bit.ly/mima-concert.