past productions | news articles - Song of Norway

COLOURFUL ESCAPE
Glasgow Light Opera Club's presentation of "Song Of Norway" at the King's is a most pleasant way to escape from a dreary Winter's night. The tale of the Maid of Norway being freed from an icy entombment by the music of Grieg is colourfully told by a competent and enthusiastic cast.

Tom Raffel as Edvard Grieg is ideally suited to the role, with Ann Veitch giving a sensitive performance as Nina Hagerup, the deserted fiancee.

Barbara Smith gives a most vital performance, musically and physically, as the Countess. Stewart Hutton as the philandering, but brow beaten Count could not be bettered. The back stage workers are to be congratulated on handling such a capable cast.

J. M.

Amateurs Sparkle In "Song Of Norway"
"The Song Of Norway,"which the Glasgow Light Opera Club are presenting at the King's Theatre, Glasgow this week, is a show of that curious genre "the musical biography."Perhaps not as successful as Schubert's "lilac Time"or as exhilarating as Dvorak's "Summer Song" it nevertheless airs some of Grieg's best music, and this company has the large number of principals required to do this difficult show full justice.

Ann Veitch and Tom Raffel sing splendidly as Nina and Eduard Grieg, and Barbara Smith has the vocal apparatus required to make her portrayal of the role of the egocentric prima donna patron utterly convincing.

Although Grieg's life is short of dramatic incident, the show never loses pace due to the many opportunities it affords for the "corps de ballet", and last nights troupe from Jean McLennan's Glasgow Ballet Schoolwere suitably energetic, especially in Peer Gynt and the "piano Concerto" in which George Hornel was a capable soloist. However conductor John Tweedie was at times somewhat hard pressed in coordinating the orchestra and the piano.

P. J. H.

Their "Song" hits a high note.
Although "Song of Norway" which opened last night at the King's Theatre, is presented by the amateur Glasgow Light Opera Club, there is very little about it which is amateurish.

Indeed, many of the qualities one expects from an experienced professional company are there; excellent singing, large full voiced chorus, and a good pit orchestra. Add to that an endless array of sumptuous costumes and skilful inventive production and you have a show that bursts with colour, gaiety and vitality.

The romantic story of the rise of composer Edvard Grieg from his humble Norwegian home of Troldhaugen to become the toast of Rome society is an excellent vehicle for the company, and Grieg's melodic music is enchanting.

Tom Raffel, Ann Veitch, and Hugh McColl are superb as Grieg, Nina, and Nordraak, the poet. They make the most of their parts and their sincere singing is first class.

Stewart Hutton is outstanding as the philandering French Count Peppi, and Barbara Smith is suitably cold and brittle as his temperamental opera star wife. Isabel Robertson, Jim Power, and Ken Nelson have many good moments in supporting roles.

The ballet sequences are the least successful parts of the show, but elsewhere the standard of performance is the highest possible and provides a treat devotees of musicals cannot afford to miss.

PAUL H. FOSTER