Review

St George’s Hall, Bradford

Waltzes, polkas, marches and operetta gems made up this popular annual concert conducted and introduced for the second year by Wyn Davies.

An interesting departure from tradition was provided by the afternoon’s guest soloist, Rafael Rojas.

The Mexican tenor’s first contribution was the aria No Puede Ser, from Pablo Sorozabal’s Spanish zarzuela La Tabernera del Puerto.

This was followed by the Romance de Javier from Federico Morena Torroba’s Luisa Fernande. Both numbers were projected with infectious charm and sincerity.

In the second half Rojas sang with burnished Italianate timbre three delightful arias originally composed for Richard Tauber – Girls Were Made To Love And Kiss from Lehar’s Paganini, Greetings Vienna from Kalman’s Countess Maritza, and Lehar’s You are My Heart’s Delight, from The Land of Smiles.

The Halle’s legendary Viennese concerts were started by Sir John Barbirolli. This music is in the orchestra’s blood, although not always coursing through the veins of certain guest conductors since Barbirolli’s era.

Wyn Davies, also an experienced opera conductor, evidently has a sense of the Viennese idiom as his performances of the Waltz Tales from the Vienna Woods and a sparkling selection of waltzes from Die Fledermaus clearly demonstrated.

Less-familiar items included Josef Strauss’ Giselle Polka-Mazurka and Johann’s nostalgic waltz Where the Lemon Trees Grow. The audience clapped along with the Radetzky March and would have appreciated an encore – perhaps a fast gallop or the Blue Danube Waltz.

Geoffrey Mogridge