For this very special concert, the BCO joined forces with the choirs of Colston's Girls' School to perform in aid of the charity BRACE (Bristol Research into Alzheimer's and Care of the Elderly. The event was generously supported by The Needham Cooper Charitable Trust and the pharmaceutical company Eisai.
The programme was:
Rossini: Overture - The Barber of Seville
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 5 "Emperor" (Soloist:
You-Chiung Lin)Dukas: Fanfare from La Péri
Bizet: Highlights from Carmen - with Penelope Davies, Stephen Foulkes, and the choirs of Colston's Girls' School
The concert proved to be a great success, being equally rewarding for performers and enthusiastic audience alike. The sum of £2,214 was donated to BRACE on the night.
"Fiery finish to a classy concert"
"The Barber of Seville … wit and sparkle"
"… the prodigious Emperor Concerto … needs a soloist who is both nimble and powerful, with the ability to show feelings of solemnity and jollity. All these attributes were found in the performance of the young Taiwanese pianist, You-Chiung Lin".
"… both soloist and orchestra were on equal terms and the conductor, Stefan Hofkes, provided a highly sensitive accompaniment to a highly creative presentation of this popular masterpiece".
"… Penelope Davies (mezzo-soprano) was a fiery Carmen, whilst the Colston's Girls' School Choirs sang the choruses with great confidence, their clear diction being a feature of the evening. Stephen Foulkes (baritone) rounded off the proceedings with a lusty Toreador's Song."
(John Packwood - Bristol Evening Post - 1 July 1999)
HomeLast updated: 26 April 2002
