Concert 4
Greta Bradman
12 August 2018 2pm
THE CHARMING GRACE OF GRETA BRADMAN.
On a chilly Yass afternoon, Greta Bradman accompanied by Stewart Kelly on piano, gave a wonderful concert for the Yass Music Club in the Memorial Hall on Sunday, 12th August
Yass fell in love with Greta for her graciousness and her extraordinarily beautiful voice and the easy manner in which she shared her unique skills in a wide variety of music from classical operatic arias to traditional folk – both American and English – as well as a variety of lyrical songs from a range of genres, all to the great joy of those who heard her sing.
The concert began with three operatic arias, the first two from Verdi’s Rigoletto with Gilda’s “Caro Nome” (Dearest name) expressing a young girl’s forlorn love as she meditates on her love, followed by “Vanne, Lasciami” as Leonora from Il Trovatore ,where she showed her mastery of bel canto and the dialogue between voice and piano here was quite stunning. The third aria was the ‘Bell Song’ from Delibes’ “Lakme” with its Hindu setting when Lakmé is forced to sing in order to lure the trespasser into identifying himself and again Greta’s technical mastery of the voice was perfect.
The remainder of the first half comprised the exquisite “Vocalise” by Rachmaninov and Dvorak’s ethereal “Song to the Moon” and the art of the singer in her interpretation of these pieces held the audience in raptures.
At interval the Hospital Auxiliary served a fine afternoon tea and the traditional raffle was drawn with Margaret Carr winning the first CD and Janine Wade winning a CD, generously donated by Greta.
The second half began with Aaron Copeland’s arrangement of “Simple Gifts”, the beautiful Shaker song from his Appalachian Spring, followed by the Benjamin Britten arrangement of the traditional Scottish folk song “O Waly Waly”, the Thomas Moore arrangement of “The Last Rose of Summer” and the program concluded with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Nightingale and the Rose’, Henry Bishop’s “Lo! Hear the Gentle Lark”, Ernest Bishop’s “When I have sung my songs” and Greta sang several encores including “Home Sweet Home”.
As well as providing very sympathetic accompaniment for Greta, Stewart Kelly played two delightful piano pieces, the lovely and lyrical Schubert Impromptu in A flat and Elgar’s haunting Salut d’amour which Elgar had been composed for his wife.
Greta made special mention of the appearance and acoustics of the Hall and remarked on what a special performance space it provides but, as she shared her impressions with the audience, many felt that the Hall could be so much better with adequate heating, improved catering facilities and better general maintenance which is a Council responsibility. The Memorial Hall is almost 100 years old and deserves to be properly looked after to continue the vision of those who built it.
As the Music Club’s appreciation of Greta, our President, Peter Crisp presented her with special piece of Crisp glass as a remembrance of Yass and the great appreciation we all felt of her.
She had provided us with a wonderful musical experience with her great and unique talent and the charm of her voice will always resonate with the Yass Music and we hope that she will be able to perform for us again before too long.
The concert was generously sponsored by Yass Real Estate and the Music Club greatly appreciates this and also the support of our many other sponsors.
Our next concert will be on Saturday, 20th October sponsored by Millers’ Pharmacy.
Brian Millett.
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Stunning soprano Greta Bradman is one of Australasia’s most celebrated operatic and concert artists. Her 2015 début album for Decca Classics My Hero (c. Richard Bonynge; English Chamber Orchestra) received five-star reviews and topped the classical and classical crossover ARIA charts for several months. Her new album Home (c. Luke Dollman; Adelaide Symphony Orchestra) is scheduled for release in 2018.
Recent performance highlights include Mimi (La bohème) for Opera Australia, Lisa (La sonnambula) for Victorian Opera and the title roles in Theodora (Canberra) and Rodelinda (Melbourne).
Greta has sung extensively in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe and throughout the Asia Pacific. A regular soloist with all the state symphony orchestras, her collaborators have included Zubin Mehta, Richard Bonynge, Matthias Foremny, Richard Tognetti, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Benjamin Northey, Rosario La Spina, Aled Jones, Russell Watson and Il Divo.
She has performed for world leaders from the UK, USA, China, India, Monaco and Australia; highlights include singing for Barack Obama, and a 2014 recital in St James’s Palace for the British Royal Family. Winner of the 2013–14 Australian International Opera Award and the APRA/AMCOS Award in 2013, Greta is a Helpmann Award nominee and was Limelight Magazine’s 2010 Newcomer of the Year and their 2015 Australian Artist of the Year.
Holder of a Masters Degree in Psychology, Greta sits on the advisory boards of the Australian Mental Health Prize and the Arts Wellbeing Collective; she is patron of St. Matthew’s Music Foundation, an Ambassador of Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide and is on faculty at Alain de Botton’s The School of Life. She is an outstanding supporter of Australian composers, and has had works written for her by Peter Sculthorpe, Betty Beath, Ross Edwards, Katy Abbott, Paul Stanhope, Quentin Grant, Calvin Bowman, Tom Henry, Carl Crossin and many others. Greta is also a regular presenter on ABC Classic-FM.
After obtaining her music degree from the Elder Conservatorium of Music, Greta received her Fellowship from the Australian National Academy of Music before completing a Graduate Diploma in Advanced Vocal Studies at the Wales International Academy of Voice – where she studied under Dennis O’Neill CBE and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.
© Patrick Togher Artists’ Management 2017
Yass Music Club 