Calypso by Evan Lawson

I have a very talented nephew, Evan Lawson, and I am sure this will not be my only blog about him. He is a conductor and composer, completing his Bachelor of Music Performance (Hons.) at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2010. And last night I went to the performance of another of his works, “Calypso”.

It is part of Forest Collective’s repertoire for the year.

Evan is the Artistic Director and CEO for Forest Collective, an organisation described by Matthew Lorenzon in Limelight magazine as a “small group [which] has developed into a not-for-profit organisation with a reputation for lavish, immersive concert experiences.” They have produced some imaginative and interesting performances. The article is here

http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/366489,forest-collectives-odyssey-into-the-unknown.aspx

“Calypso” was a delight. Calypso (sung by Lotte Betts-Dean, a mezzo soprano with a mellifluous voice) watches over Odysseus (Daniel Todd, tenor) who has washed up on her island. She is joined by the goddesses Artemis (Rosemary Ball, soprano) and Athena (Janet Todd, soprano), who delight in meddling in human affairs.

It was very simply performed. However, the music, and the voices of the performers, gave it all the colour and life that it needed. I am not an opera buff, but these young people need to go far in the opera world.

If you would like to hear some of the music, watch this short video

There are performances tonight and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday). If you are in Melbourne and want to support some fabulous young talent, look at their website for more information. (An added incentive is that it is in the Abbotsford Convent, a wonderful place of its own.) Or maybe make a donation.

http://www.forestcollective.com.au/calypso