Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed 4th November 2020
Crowds wrap around the grand façade of Her Majesty’s Theatre, braving harsh spring winds as they eagerly wait for the auditorium to open. The usual excited murmurs seem faint with people spaced so far apart. Inside, checkerboard seating ensures everyone a rare unobscured view. There is a palpable connection between the performers and their sparse audience. The scent of resin hangs in the air. Though we sit alone, we have been brought together for the same reason and with the same passion. In musical theory, this is what Legato means – being tied together, played “smoothly and connected with no intervening silence.”
ARIA award winning classical guitarist Slava Grigoryan, and internationally heralded pianist Konstantin Shamray join the Australian String Quartet for one evening. The concert starts with a series of duets between guitar (Slava Grigoryan) and cello (his wife Sharon Grigoryan). Their on-stage chemistry is delightful to watch and enhances their performance.
Intricate chords create a flowing tango in Piazzolla’s Café 1930, lead by guitar. Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel is a tender, at times ethereal, conversation between guitar and cello. Cheery jazz melodies are infectious in Mark Summer’s Julie-O, a clear favourite for both audience and performers.
The full ASQ joins Slava Grigoryan for Boccherini’s Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D Major. The guitar uses its unique voice to rally the string instruments, contributing to and influencing new melodies as the piece progresses. Though almost three hundred years old, Boccherini’s Quintet is full of life. It is the perfect piece for the ASQ to perform, as they currently play with a matched set of handcrafted eighteenth century Italian instruments. For a few minutes, we have a window into the past.
After interval, Konstantin Shamray takes the stage alongside the ASQ for Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major. Dvořák’s Quintet not only showcases Shamray’s talents beautifully, but also offers each member of the ASQ an opportunity to shine. Lyrical melodies lead into an energised and emotive finale.
Thanks to the exquisite talents of Shamray, Grigoryan, and the entire Australian String Quartet, we are all Legato. For those lucky enough to attend, it is a beautiful and unforgettable performance.
Australian String Quartet:
Dale Barltrop – Violin
Francesca Hiew –Violin
Stephen King – Viola
Sharon Grigoryan – Cello
Reviewed by Nicola Woolford
Rating: Five out of five stars
Season ended – One Night Only
Photo: Slava Grigoryan
Photo Credit: Nate Schilling
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