Friday 1 January 2010

Elizabeth Watts delivers powerful performance in New Year's Day concert

This morning Jan said, "Shall we go to the New Year's Day concert in St. Andrew's Hall? Elizabeth Watts will be singing."
"OK." So, after lunch, we drove into Norwich and managed to get tickets for the Norwich Pops Orchestra's Viennese concert. All but two (isolated) main seats in the hall were taken, and we opted to sit together in the "restricted view" area. The concert was excellent: the orchestra playing traditional numbers such as the Blue Danube waltz and the Radetzky March. The highlight was soprano Elizabeth Watts singing various items, including an aria from Puccini's La Boheme and a song by Richard Strauss.


You see what I mean by "restricted view"? The conductor is behind the right-hand pillar! I did, at least, get a good view of Lizzie (as she was known when she used to babysit for us).


I last wrote about Lizzie here.

This afternoon she managed a "career best top E flat" (according to her Facebook page (according to Jan)) and received a standing ovation.

Did I mention she used to babysit for us? Oh yes, I did.

6 comments:

Andy Tidy said...

St Andrews Hall, that takes me back to a whole bunch of gospel concerts in the 1970's. I am struggling with the names - "Come Together?" and "If my People?".
Its lovely to see someone you you know and care about blossom.
Andy

Jan said...

That brings back memories! I went to 'If My People' in London and listened to the 'Come Together' tape many times in my student days. Both gave me great encouragement as a young Christian.

Andy Tidy said...

Jan
The names Andre Crouch and Owens Collins and coming back to me. Did they have anything to do with the performances.
Halfie - sorry to hijack your comments page.

Halfie said...

That's all right Andy, carry on!

Jan said...

Jimmy and Carol Owens were the leading lights of Come Together and If My People. I certainly remember the name Andre Crouch but I don't think I ever had any of his music and I don't know if he took part in the productions. I don't know about 'Collins'. I'll have to try and root out my cassette collection which I'm sure I've still got somewhere and see if the old cassette machine still works!

Andy Tidy said...

Jan
There was a strong male lead - maybe it was Barry McGuire?
As for the Owens Collins thing I have had a look in my old cassette collection and it relates to their daughter Jamie who was also a singer and presumably married a Mr Collins. Interestingly, I bought the tape of hers as a concert held at the Cambridge YMCA and she signed it.