Festival Theatre, Sun 17 Mar, 2024.
Tonight’s conclusion to Adelaide Festival 2024 has arrived and a packed Festival Theatre is here to join in with the celebrations. The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra who instigated the Floods of Fire community project four years ago are already on stage in full view as we enter. So too are the Poco Tutti choir. There is a sense of expectation in the air. We are here to listen to the world premiere of Floods Of Fire Symphony and also to see the electronic duo Electric Fields play in their home state with our orchestra.
Julian Ferraretto has taken six compositions from various community groups and united them brilliantly into a symphony. The night begins with the haunting Pudnanthi Padninthi composed by Buckskin & Goldsmith and arranged for the orchestra by Mark Ferguson. It is a reflective and beautiful start to the night and showcases the depth and the delicacy that an orchestra brings.
The next section embodies the essence of the Floods Of Fire project with a series of compositions workshopped by South Australian composers and performers from the Nexus Arts community. Adam Page plays saxophone on Six Seasons with Nancy Bates on vocals. Next is a solo with Zhao Ling on the guzheng, a Chinese stringed instrument. Her piece Tales Of The Fire Phoenix is both contemplative and charming. Other highlights from this section include a piece based on an Iranian lullaby and folk song. Composer Hillary Kleining worked with Maryam Rahmani who tonight performs Rebirth on the santur, while singing the lullaby refrain. Noriko Tadano on a shamisen provides another enchanting moment. Isaac Hannon on yidaki adds to the immensity of the range of cultures working together on this event.
The front of the stage is quickly cleared of all of the soloists’ instruments to make way for Quirkestra, an 8 piece performance ensemble under the umbrella of Tutti Arts. They work with a range of instruments from percussion , keyboards and guitar to a surprising inclusion of theremin. The symphony concludes with Farnan Shah singing a rousing, emotionally laden Lament & Renewal. Gorgeous!
Throughout proceedings the ASO, under the baton of conductor Luke Dollman, have added layers of musical colour and complexity that has helped bring the symphony to its full glory. They have melded in with a range of instruments not often heard with orchestra. Julian Ferraretto must be swelled with pride as the applause rings out.
Act 2 sees Electric Fields AKA Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross take to the stage to exuberant applause. Aaron Wyatt conducts, with most songs arranged for the orchestra by Alex Turley. Opening with the infectious Anpuru Maau Kutjpa, Fielding shows they are here to celebrate Antara culture, this amazing night playing along with an orchestra, and the range and scope of a distinctive and exhilarating vocal range. Michael Ross beams with delight, lurching over an electronic keyboard while Fielding prances the stage flourishing a shimmering dress to great effect.
Photo: Saige Prime
Eleven more songs follow. Two little girls in front of me dance ecstatically whenever one of their favourite songs begins. An audience sing along to the chorus of From Little Things Big Things Grow unites the room. Ljitji Lullaby is a lilting refrain and settles the audience for a new song commissioned for tonight’s performance. Arranged by Mark Ferguson, Litjatitilu Maau Kutjpa is a fitting inclusion for this event and deserves to become part of their regular setlist.
Five vocalists are on stage to support Electric Fields tonight. Belle Bangardi and Allyson Joyce add soul laden highlights to many of the songs. Three singers from Mimili – Audrey Umala, Sandra Pumani and Zaavan Fielding add lashings of a different form of soul when they sing in their own language. An amazing treat happens near the end of the show when, with Zaachariaha they sing an ancient songline from their birth country. This is truly special.
A standing ovation shows how much the audience have enjoyed the night. When Little Amal, the 12 foot Syrian puppet girl here in Adelaide to highlight the plight of refugees joins them on stage to dance along and shake hands with Zaachariaha and Michael we know a fabulous night has come to a close. The ASO are correct in calling this night ‘Our Celebration’ – the mood in the theatre afterwards is clearly one of great celebration.
5 stars
Cathy Tune
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Catherine Tune
The ASO are correct in calling this night ‘Our Celebration’ – the mood in the theatre afterwards is clearly one of great celebration.
