The Mietta Song Competition: Alison WatersJune 26, 2012
Alison Waters shares her thoughts on life and culture.
Wednesday last week saw us wending our way down Alfred Place, one of Melbourne’s iconic Victorian era laneways to what was once the old Naval and Military Club. The Club morphed into the grand restaurant Mietta’s owned by food and cultural visionary Mietta O’Donnell and Tony Knox . Mietta’s has morphed yet again in recent years to become the elegant and fashionable restaurant Comme.
Mietta’s legacy has given rise to The Mietta Song Competition which promotes “the performance and wider appreciation of Art Song (Lieder) in all its diversity”. The semi-finals will be held on Saturday 21 July and the finals will take place on Sunday 22 July at the Iwaki Auditorium, Southbank.
Academic Noel Turnbull currently a Director Chamber Music Australia; Mietta Song Recital Award President;Victorian Writers Centre Patron gave an eloquent opening speech on the centrality, of classical music on civilization and humanity emphasizing the Art Song form lieder as an important mode of expression. Ambassador Richard Mills, Director Victorian Opera and Conductor of The Wagner Ring 2013 spoke of the highly competitive adjudication process. “The eight semifinalists deserve high commendation for reaching this stage” They are sopranos Hannah Dahlenberg (VIC), Susannah Lawergren (NSW), Qestra Mulqueeny (NSW), Siobhan Stagg (VIC); Mezzo-sopranos Emily Edmonds (NSW), Charlotte Betts-Dean (VIC) and Selena Pettifer (VIC) and tenor Brenton Spiteri (VIC).
Young philosophy student and musician Domenico de Pieri, son of Mildura chef Stefano de Pieri was made Youth Ambassador for the Competition and he spoke confidently of his ambition to spread his passion for classical music to his peers.
Source: Music and Mailer