Music / “Dances of Passion”, The Song Company. Directed by Robert MacFarlane, music direction by Francis Greep. At The Street Theatre, March 20 Reviewed by LEN POWER.

AN attempt to dramatise three very different song works proved to be a challenge that the Song Company was unable to meet effectively. 

The music was very well sung and played but the acting performances and staging left a lot to be desired.

The four artists of the Song Company – Roberta Diamond, soprano; Janine Harris, mezzo soprano; Ethan Taylor, tenor and Hayden Barrington, baritone – performed three musical works, under the title of “Dances of Passion”. 

Francis Greep accompanied the first two sets and was joined at the piano by Antony Pitts for the final set.

The first work was “Coleccion de Tonadillas” from 1914 with music by the Spanish composer, Enrique Granados, set to poems by Fernando Periquet. 

These songs of love and passion gave each of the singers the opportunity to display the full range and quality of their voices. The highlights were Roberta Diamond singing ”The discreet majo” with superb clarity and sensitivity and Hayden Barrington wistfully singing “The forgotten majo” in his pleasingly rich baritone.

The second work, “Fables For a Prince” was written in 1989 by American art song composer, Juliana Hall. Set to the fables of French poet Jean de La Fontaine of the 17th century, these charming songs required strong harmony singing and the ensemble performed them with great assurance.

The final set of songs was the “Love Songs Waltzes” by Johannes Brahms. Composed in 1868, the waltzes are a collection of 18 love songs for voices and piano four hands. The duet, “O Women, O Women”, sung with great feeling by Ethan Taylor and Hayden Barrington, was a highlight, as was the following duet, “Like the Evening’s Lovely Red”, sung by Roberta Diamond and Janine Harris, whose fine voices blended superbly.

The decision to give the sets of songs a contemporary through story with the performers interacting in modern, casual clothing detracted from the musical aspect of the program. 

The acting looked unsettled, lacking in motivation and self-conscious. Badly timed movement often drew attention away from the singing.

Fortunately, the music and vocal performances transcended the acting aspects of the show.