By Jim Fagan
Foaming craft beer and 17th and 18th century baroque music made a heady, if unusual, mix at Glasshouse Brewery, Forest Glen, last Saturday.
Chamber music group, the Arioso Chamber Ensemble, has been playing together for seven years and has at last pleased its many fans by making a CD, Pearls, which was launched by ABC radio presenter, Ed Ayres, at the brewery restaurant.
Performances by the four musicians, Janet Brewer (harpsichord), Margaret Caley (baroque violin), Belinda Manwaring (baroque cello). and Judit Molnar (soprano) are usually sold out when they play at concerts and festivals in South- East Queensland and northern New South Wales.
On Saturday they gave a preview of the CD with a selection of their favourite works, including baroque masterpieces by Handel, Vivaldi and Monteverdi.
Soprano Judit Molnar ‘s voice, has been heard in solo and chamber concerts, festivals, oratorios and on opera stages across Europe, the UK Japan and Australia.
She has had starring roles in operas like La Boheme, Cavalleria Rusticana and The Magic Flute and she told Noosa Today singing at a brewery was “very enjoyable”.
She said: “Classical music doesn’t have to be in a formal setting. I was with Brisbane Underground Opera for a few years and I sang in caves, a Mount Isa mine, tunnels, even a prawn farm.”
Judit, who gave a standing ovation performance at Noosa Chorale’s Olympic music concerts in May, is back with the Chorale this Friday and Saturday with its Majestic Mozart concerts at The J.
“I’m singing one of my favourite arias in the first half, Donna Anna from Don Giovanni. The second half is the Mozart Requiem with the Chorale. I am very happy about that. The Requiem is just magnificent. It is always a gift to sing it.”
Judit will also sing with Arioso this Sunday at 3pm when the group takes part in the Majestic Theatre, Pomona, 100th birthday celebrations.
Copies of Pearls are available from ariosochamberensemble.com Cost is $25 and have a look at the cover painting of the quartet in action. Violinist Margaret’s daughter and talented artist Olivia Rea has produced a brilliant, evocative piece of art.
