Above: Jennifer Vuletic as Franz Liszt and Aura Go as Chopin. Featured image: pianist and actor Aura Go. Photo Credit: Aaron Francis Photography.
This compelling music and drama entertainment is currently unparalleled in the Sydney concert hall environment. Multimedia additions to concert stages have been increasingly in vogue for some time but Musica Viva’s presentation of Chopin’s Piano goes breathtakingly beyond.
At the centre of this production and national tour is Musica Viva’s 2018 Futuremaker Aura Go, presenting the cycle of twenty-four Preludes Op 28 by Chopin. separated by moments of acting and historical narrative.
Side by side with this substantial realisation and performance of Chopin’s delicately crystallized miniatures is a dramatic presentation featuring a wealth of characters, both contemporary to
Frederic Chopin and beyond.
The book Chopin’s Piano by Musica Viva Artistic Director Paul Kildea takes us on a whirlwind trip through Paris and Majorca, starting in the nineteenth century with the close relationship of Chopin and writer George Sand front and centre in the first half. The book’s historical and musical tracing of the journey this instrument took following its encounter with Chopin has been successfully transformed into this concert hall event with a difference.
The entertainment traces the piano manufactured by Bauza for Chopin to use in his winter trip of 1838-1839. This was the instrument which the holidaying Chopin used to complete the writing of his Opus 28 Preludes.
The piano left its home in Majorca and became part of the historic keyboard collection of Polish keyboard star Wanda Landowska. After this it was stolen by Nazi looters following the occupation of Paris.
Fourteen separate characterisations appear on stage , with svelte and lithe movement and accurate European or American accents. The larger personalities with detailed costuming and props, interacted with great chemistry and impressive energy. A fine effort from mutitalented pianist Aura Go was joined by the chameleon creations of charaters from the jaw-dropping resources of formidable actor Jennifer Vuletic.
Above: Jennifer Vuletic as George Sand. Photo Credit : Aaron Francis Photography.
All this charming and focussed storytelling adequately filled the stage and used it well. The scenes tugged at our heartstrings and world plus music history minds. It was nicely woven between the playing live of the preludes by Go. This pianist-actor appeared in costumes various and under beautiful lighting. This transformation of the Recital Hall platform from Richard Vabre and Marty Shlansky featured characters onstage and Aura go at the instrument in effective silhouette
The texture of this show’s script is as poetically complex, contrasted and passionate as any Chopin work. It is an admirable blend of opinion, home truths about Romanticism and beyond, as well as a welcome exposition of the romantic and charismatic side of Chopin as seen amongst artistic comtempories such as Sand and Liszt.
Aura Go delivered a comprehensive study of Chopin in the brief exchanges she devoured with Vuletic in Act 1. Instantly in character, with solid, passionate supporting musical perfomances, she engaged in lively acting moments with great range, expression and humour.
Six other male and female characters were brought to colourful life by Go in between hurltling back to the keyboard for yet another prelude to be played. These characters included Wanda Landowska’s husband, photographer Alexander Binder, and Landowska’s assistant Denise Restout.
Aura Go’s playing of the preludes is as layered, controlled, unique, lively and saturated in personal colour as her commendable foray into acting. With Jennifer Vuletic’s molto-watchable Chopin fanbase never too far from the keyboard, the genius, bravura, dramatic outbursts and sublte utterances of this set of works is played as a significant reminder of Chopin’s technique and standout productivity in his time.
Go’s realisation of each prelude’s character reminded us of Chopin’s expertise in writing for the piano, and completing Opus 28 on that Bauza piano with such a lively and troubled future. Also showcased are the merits of her playing and participation in performance events with unique formats and innovative programming.
The preludes progressed throughout the event with enhanced contrasts of shape and mood,. The dialogue and director Richard Pyros’ effective movement as well as beautifully crystallised scenic swoops separate the pieces. The inside voices of each prelude were nicely cared for by Go, there were exquisite soft playing, and an enviable, Chopinesque facility to managing the more relentless single line virtuosity as well as dense layers in busy handfuls.
Above: (l-r) : Jennifer Vuletic as Wanda Landowska and Aura Go at the piano. Photo credit: Aaron Francis Photography.
The appearance of each prelude always matched the prevailing stage mood at the time. This is no mean feat to accomplish in preparation of the event, given the switches in sentiment across the 24 major and minor keys.
Go’s pianism ensured that the voicing always preserved a ringing melody line, wherever Chopin placed it across the keyboard. Poetry and passion was clearly maintained in this way.
All the famous preludes were interpreted by Go here with edge-of-the-seat creativity. No 4 in E minor unfolded with delicacy and a requisite brief, big-picture arch. No 2 in A minor was stridently novel. A triumph of mood and colour was No 6 in B minor with its plaintive cello-like melody, played be heartbreaking focus.
This B minor prelude was also echoed in recorded snippet later, one of five historic recording fragments including some by Bach and Scarlatti adorning the drama. Three of these recordings were by Wanda Landowska herself.
The famous ‘Raindrop’ prelude No 15 in D flat major was also nicely woven into the tale and suited the tone of the surrounding dialogue. Delivered with broad tempo choices, it was indeed augmented storm, but the sonorities on offer could only be considered warm and well-crafted in any weather. No 7 in A major illustrated pure happiness and contentment with people and place. No 22 in G minor unlocked lower and upper registers to full sound, former more timid delicacies abandoned.
Following this history and musicology presentation, I craved a relisten of the Opus 28 Preludes. Perhaps a revisit of the works by Romantic writers, photographers and artists.
Above all I hoped that Musica Viva, the giant presenter of live chamber music plus education initiatives in Australia, has resolved to produce more such music-theatre entertainment treats across national concert halls in future, featuring true FutureMakers such as Aura Go, Jennifer Vuletic and the Chopin’s Piano creative team.