Twilite Orchestra sets stage for Popstravaganza Concert
JAKARTA (JP): Fans may have to wait weeks until they can see the Star Wars prequel, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace here. But at least they can entertain themselves with the movie's theme music at Twilite Orchestra Popstravaganza Concert next week.
The orchestra's conductor, Addie MS, said they would play the Star Wars' theme to open its June 25 concert at Teater Tanah Airku in Taman Mini Indonesia park, East Jakarta. The movie's theme, composed by the former conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, John Williams, made every scene in the Star Wars movies come alive, he added.
The concert has been arranged as a regular event to be held at Teater Taman Airku every two months, starting this month to December.
"I've dreamed about this for eight years since we formed together. All this time, we performed in different places, depending on orders. It's not healthy and passive ... Abroad, the performances are planned even a year before," Addie told reporters at a press conference this week.
The concert will be Addie's second performance at Teater Tanah Airku. Last year, Twilite Orchestra, along with musician Djaduk Ferianto, collaborated to arrange Opera Anoman's music and was performed at the theater.
Addie said he believed the regular performance of classical music would not reduce the quality of music.
He admitted, however, that he saw how routine activities could harm musicians, but added that it mostly happened to those who played serious classical music at hotels or restaurants. The musicians, he said, were distracted by activities surrounding them -- people laughing or talking -- while they had to concentrate on playing serious music.
"But it's different with routine recitals or concerts performed in a hall where nothing will disturb the musicians' concentration. In fact, regularity is the main requirement for a good orchestra," Addie said.
Popstravaganza -- after pops and extravaganza -- is selected as the main theme for the concert.
Addie explained that pops were programs or repertoires of a concert that performs popular classical music, movie theme songs, opera, musical drama or pop songs that have symphonic arrangements. Extravaganza itself, he said, was simply referred to a lavish atmosphere.
Pops itself was pioneered by former Boston Pops Opera conductor Arthur Fiedler, from 1930 to 1980, and continued by John Williams, from 1982 to 1990. In the U.S., other orchestras which perform pops programs include the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra led by conductor Erich Kunzel and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra led by conductor John Mauceri.
For next week's show, the 115 members of Twilite Orchestra, including 50 singers from the Twilite Chorus, will present about 15 compositions during the two-hour show.
Among the compositions are Alan Menken's Beauty and the Beast, Peter Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker: Waltz of the Flowers, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera Selections, Igor Stravinsky's Firebird Suite: Lullaby & Finale and Verdi's Aida: Triumphal March.
Aning Katamsi will sing some compositions, such as Eben? Ne Andro Lontano from Alfredo Catalani's La Wally opera and The Music of the Night from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart's The Phantom of the Opera. Tenor Johnson Hutagalung will perform Nessun Dorma! from Giacomo Puccine's Turandot opera and Edoardo di Capua's O Sole Mio.
A day prior to the show, the orchestra will also stage an hour performance, titled Konser Kita (Our Concert), for certain elementary school students.
To watch the show, students are required to create their own tickets worth Rp 2,000 each, to bring about art appreciation. The money collected will then be handed back to the school to, among other things, buy books on music.(ste)