Lexus singers all revved up

Lexus Song Quest
Auckland Town Hall
April 23rd

It was always going to be as close as a whisper between the six contestants in the biannual Lexus Song Quest but Samoan born Aivale Cole surged to the front with a spectacular final aria to win the prestigious award.

The final night of the contest is a grueling event with each of the six singers having to sing one leid or song with piano accompaniment as well as two arias with the full New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

They had to impress the German judge, Siegfried Jerusalem, with their singing, technical ability, acting and stage presence. The three chances they had at singing were supposed to convey their talents.

In the end it was Aivale Cole’s choice of the right numbers which gave her the edge. Her first song, Peter Go Ring Dem Bells, a Negro spiritual by the mid century American composer John Carter seemed ill considered, a lightweight crowd pleaser. However, it did show that her voice could take wing and soar with an uninhibited enthusiasm.

It was, however slight, compared with the more serious songs of the other singers such as Julia Booth, with her brave and superbly honed interpretation of Benjamin Britten’s Poison Tree.

It was Cole's singing of an aria from Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos that saw her move up the rankings. It is a difficult work in which the orchestra carries the emotional line and the singer must insert themselves into the music almost as another instrument.

She demonstrated an intelligent approach to the piece with a total control, using the orchestra to enhance her voice.

But it was the final work, singing as Aida (Ritorna vincitor) that she shoed she could convey the strong emotions of the piece with changing textures and subtly of voice.

This was a diva in the making and the audience sensed that here was the winner before with judge made his announcement.

The second place getter bass Wade Kernot displayed a splendidly robust voice and an ability to capture the personality of the character he was portraying. His final aria was tour de force singing one of the long arias from Verdi’s Don Carlos. It is a grand and challenging piece but did not provide enough vocal interest for the singer to shine.

In third place was Julia Booth who showed an ability to act and convey emotions especially with her heart rending account of Liu’s pre suicide expression of love from Puccini’s Turandot.

Aivale Cole recived a cash prize of $10,000, a study scholarship of $15,000 and international air travel. Wade Kernot received $8000 and a study scholarship of $10,000 while Julia Booth received $5,000 and a study scholarship of $ 5,000.

Residents of Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington will have an opportunity to hear the three prize winners in concerts held over the next week.

Lexus Song Quest Recital Tour

Christchurch
Great Hall, Christchurch Arts Centre
April 26th, 7.00pm

Dunedin
Glenroy Auditorium, Dunedin Centre
April 28th, 8.00pm

Wellington
Opera House
April 30th, 7.00pm