Music / Dolcissimo, Anna Fraser, soprano and Hannah Lane, Italian triple harp. At Wesley Music Centre, Forrest. May 19. Reviewed by LEN POWER.

Dolcissimo explored the flowering of Italian vocal music in a program by composers of the late Renaissance through to the Baroque period. 

There were songs by Luzzaschi, Caccini, Rossi, Frescobaldi and others, played and sung by two eminent Baroque specialists – Anna Fraser, soprano and Hannah Lane on an Italian Baroque triple harp.

Fraser is a versatile soprano specialising in the interpretation of early and contemporary vocal repertoire. She is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the New England Conservatory (Boston) and regularly performs with the Bach Akademie Australia, Cantillation, Australian Haydn Ensemble, Salut! Baroque, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Ensemble Offspring. She also performed as a core ensemble member of the Song Company for more than 10 years.

Lane is the leading Australian exponent of the Baroque harp. She studied in Milan, Italy, with renowned historical harpist Mara Galassi. Lane performs with leading ensembles throughout Australia and Europe, appearing at international festivals. She is a regular guest lecturer in historical harp at the University of Melbourne.

Both artists gave informative and entertaining explanations of the music and songs they were performing. Lane explained that composers of that era were inspired by the virtuosity of the singer’s voice, giving their works an opulent ornamentation and layers of texture.

As well as accompanying the songs, Lane also performed works for the distinctive sound of the Baroque harp only dating back to the 16th and 17th century period.

Fraser’s singing also captured the period delightfully. The emotions in the songs were conveyed by the intricate ornamentation, creating a fascinating, haunting and often dream-like effect. Combined with Lane’s playing of the harp, the overall effect was sublime.

While every song and solo harp piece were impressive, two works stood out as highlights. Giulio Caccini’s Dolcissimo Sospiro (sweetest sigh) and Lasciatemi qui solo (Leave me here alone) composed by his daughter, Francesca Caccini. The level of emotion conveyed in these works was extraordinary. This atmospheric concert from Art Song Canberra was entertaining and highly memorable.