Playfull virtuosity with Grieg and Bizet in Vilnius

Ingebjørg KOSMO and Trond Halstein MOE.

Norwegian opera singers in the program

“Love Songs from the north and south”

Review by Henning Høholt, text and photos.

VILNIUS/LITHUANIA: Saturday evening, 28 February, at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Concert Hall in Vilnius.

We experiensed a good symphonic concert with Lithuanian National  Philharmonic Orchestra, with Grieg Norwegian Dances and Bizets Suite Arlesienne opening each their part of the concert.

Conducted by its musicchief Robertas Šervenikas and with the Norwegian National Opera soloists Ingebjørg Kosmo and Trond Halstein Moe in songs by Edvard Grieg, and the love duet between Gudrun and Olav Tryggvason from Ragnar Söderlinds and Knut Jørgen Moe´s opera Olav Tryggvason in the first part.

And from the two Bizet operas Les pêcheurs de perl and Carmen in the second part. and Zurgos aria from Les pêcheurs de perl and the Love duet between the Toreador and Carmen,  followed by headlights from Carmen, including the Prelude, Habanera, Entracte, Sequidilla, The Toreador aria.

The concert named “Love Songs from the north and south” became a big succes for the orchestra, conductor and the soloists.

Robertas Šervenikasstarted brilliant with the four Norwegian songs opus 35 by Grieg, he showed very good tempi, and many excellent details.

The second one i A dur presented a brilliant obo soloist. And gave immediately the evening a perfect Norwegian atmosphaere.

These danced inspired by Griegs love for using folcloristic themes was beautiful.

Then we enjoyed the four songs, The Spring and at Rondane (The Rondane mountains) from 12 songs opus 33 to Aasmund Olavsson Vinjes nynorske tekst, perfect for Trond Halstein Moes beautiful Baryton voice. Followed by  A Swan to  the text by Henrik Ibsen, and this part ended with I Love You to H.C.Andersens text brilliant performed by Ingebjørg Kosmo.

The first part ended with the love duet between king Olav Tryggvason and his beloved wife, Gudrun, by Ragnar Söderlind, with libretto by Knut Jørgen Moe, which gave the audience the possibility to enjoy Söderlinds beautiful contemporary symphonic music style

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GEORGES BIZET

After the break the atmosphaere moved south to Spain, with music by Georges Bizet, but it is interesting the opening Suite Arlesienne, has some of the same mood, expression in it as Griegs Norwegian folk dances, and also here the conductor let the orchestra play brilliant, in the second of these five parts we enjoyed a good saxophone.

Then it was time for the opera part, first Zurgos aria from Les pêcheurs de perls sung by T.H.Moe,   followed by headlights from Carmen, including the Prelude, Habanera, Entr´acte, Sequidilla, The Toreador aria. and the Love duet between the Toreador and Carmen, with Trond Halstein Moe, outstanding as Toreador and Ingebjørg Kosmo as Carmen. Full of temperament.

COOPERATION LITHUANIA – NORWAY

‘This concert is a good way to underline the good cooperation between Lithuania and Norway, which in fact will be followed up by the visit of the President of the Norwegian Parliament – Stortinget Ole Mic Thommesen March 10-11. 2015

Furthermore mr. Thommesen also tells that an officiel visit of the Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite to Norway is being planned, as far as he know.

However the cooperation between Lithuania and Norway has a long tradition

. Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, is friendship city with Oslo. And on many plans there has been close and positive cooperation between the two countries, specially after the Sovjet left Lithuania.

TOMAS BAGACKAS

Ingebjørg Kosmo is a good representant for Norwegian – Lithuanian cooperation also in the haute couture way. In the sesond part she presented an elegant Carmen red silk dress, made by the Lithuanian born Norwegian designer Tomas Bagackas, now with studio in Paris.

Who also had designed the Northern light silk dress in blue, turkis and orange colours, that ms. Kosmo was wearing during the Norwegian first part of the concert.