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Classical Delights, La Nova Singers, Highcliffe Castle

ALTHOUGH this (almost) all-female group has only been performing for three years it has already made its mark, and last year came away with two cups from the Bournemouth Music Competitions Festival. The reasons for their success became increasingly obvious during this thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Quite apart from the extremely high vocal standard set by director Michelle Nova, the most impressive features were the outstanding harmonies and, in particular, the singers’ diction, which made every word perfectly clear - although, for obvious reasons, I can’t vouch for the Norwegian of guest performer Katrine Imerslund, who sang several folk songs in her native language.

The evening’s main piece was Vivaldi’s Gloria, with soprano soloists Rachel Scivier and Roma Loukes plus the evening’s only male singer, counter tenor Adam Mecklenburgh, but this eclectic concert also included Franck’s Panis Angelicus, Faure’s Pavane, show music by Gershwin, Bernstein and Lerner and Loewe, Karl Jenkins’ Allegretango, Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven, Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus and more. I did wonder why the chorus sang only ‘la’ in La Traviata’s Libiamo rather than the usual words, but maybe it was because at that point audience participation seemed to be the order of the day. And I’m sure Verdi wouldn’t have minded.

Linda Kirkman

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