I never thought I would sing opera with an Italian tenor who was born in Naples in the same street as Enrico Caruso but I did on Sunday at the Good Shepherd Church Hall at Noosaville.
Presented by the Coast’s newest music group, Trio Solé, the afternoon was filled with opera’s most loved arias, Neapolitan songs, even two Mario Lanza movie hits.
The talented trio, soprano Vanessa West, tenor Raffaele Pierno and pianist Janet Brewer, presented a concert, aptly named Melodie D’Amore, which was more than just a recital of well-loved arias and songs.
Their skills and dramatic interpretations, particularly West’s “Un bel di vedremo” from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly and the ringing sound and flamboyant performance style of Pierno in Rossini’s Neapolitan song “Tarantella” was highly entertaining and brought a well-deserved ovation.
When they invited the audience to join in choruses like the “Drinking Song” from Verdi’s La Traviata, the response was again enthusiastic…and loud.
Pianist Janet Brewer has been entertaining Coast audiences with several groups for more than 20 years and again showed her piano skills with Liszt’s Liebestraume which then morphed into the song made famous by Ella Fitzgerald “Misty.”
It was her idea to form the group and, although the audience was small, the talent of West and Pierno honed by their international experience should attract more good music lovers to their next appearance at Cooroy Memorial Hall on Sunday 7 December.
