CityLife

Northern Chamber Orchestra @ Macclesfield Heritage Centre

THE NCO celebrated Mozart, one day after his birthday, and packed the old Macclesfield Sunday School hall.

It was a programme of a kind that would not have been foreign to the man himself - solo arias and orchestral items both included - complete with an orchestra of a size that he would have probably have thought of as normal, too.

The result was thoroughly enjoyable and splendidly played.

Gillian Keith was the soprano soloist, and if some were disappointed that Amanda Roocroft was unwell and unable to appear, that soon turned to delight in performer they heard - whose peerless singing very nearly won the Manchester Evening News opera award for the Buxton Festival in Ascanio In Alba last year.

Vieni

Zeffiretti Lusinghieri and Deh, Vieni were beautifully sung (and charmingly introduced), but she had even better in store later: Ruhe Sanft Mein Holdes Leben, from Zaide, and the concert aria, Ah Se In Ciel, Benigne Stelle.

There is a quality similar to the young Natalie Dessay in the evenness and sheen of her tone.

The orchestra's own contributions ranged from Mozart's boyhood Symphony no.4 to the richness of no.40, played under Nicholas Ward's direction with clarity, alertness, energy and affection.

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