C & C Rigg Bequest Classic Music in Historic Venues 2024 - 2025

Our exciting series for 2024 - 2025 begins in November and December 2024, with three fantastic recitals in two different historic venues. Join us at the magnificent Barwon Park mansion at Winchelsea, to experience The Hollywood Connection - a stunningly emotional program, ranging from an evocative setting of the late 20th century songs to Hollywood's most dynamic show tunes, or come along to Rippon Lea for An Archduke in Elsternwick in Novemember, or for our end-of-year multi-piano Forty Fingers sumptuous spectacular in December! See below for details of the programs and our inspirational guest artists, plus the booking links.

The Hollywood Connection at Barwon Park
Sunday November 10, 2024 at 2.00pm

Vivien Hamilton - mezzo-soprano, Josephine Vains - cello and Robert Chamberlain - piano will take you on a wide-ranging, enticing and emotionally charged journey, exploring the musical heritage of Hollywood luminaries such as André Previn, Erich Korngold, Leonard Bernstein, Nino Rota, George Gershwin and Harold Arlen.

MIchael Petruccelli tenor, Darryl Coote piano

Originally presented in April 2024, with sold-out performances in Melbourne’s Como House and Garden, we are delighted to perform this spectacular program in the splendid Barwon Park mansion at Winchelsea!

(Image Courtesy of National Trust - Victoria)

Two major works by Hollywood wunderkind André Previn (1929 - 2019), who began arranging and composing film scores during the golden age of the Hollywood studios when he was just 18 years old, are foundations of this recital. His acclaimed Four Songs for Soprano, Cello and Piano are 1994 settings of powerful poems by American literary doyenne Toni Morrison (1931 - 2019), the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature. These emotional and moving songs are complemented by Previn’s hauntingly beautiful Vocalise, sung with no words, and composed in just two hours at Tanglewood in 1995!

Beautiful settings of Shakespeare texts by Erich Korngold reflect back to another age, while the 2018 work When the World was Young for cello and piano by young Australian composer Luke Severn, composed in Los Angeles in 2018, provides an energising start to the program.

After further favourite works by Nino Rota and George Gershwin, the recital ends on an up-beat note, with a selection of four jazzy show-tunes in original form and in arrangement: from the evergreen Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen, to André Previn’s Good Morning to the Sun, from the 1955 Hollywood film musical It's Always Fair Weather starring Gene Kelly and others!

Ticket prices include the recital, viewing of the mansion, and a country-style afternoon tea after the recital with the performers and other audience members. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this especially appealing recital program in the fine heritage venue Barwon Park mansion!

(Download the flyer here.)

Recital Program:

Luke Severn - When the World Was Young (2018) for cello & piano
Erich Korngold - Four Shakespeare Songs Op. 31 (voice & piano)
André Previn - Four Songs for Soprano, Cello and Piano (1994)
Nino Rota - Allegro danzante arr. cello & piano
George Gershwin - Preludes for Piano
André Previn - Vocalise for voice, cello & piano (1995)

Plus Hollywood show and movie tunes in original form and in arrangement:

Harold Arlen - Over the Rainbow
Leonard Bernstein - Maria from West Side Story
Gershwin - I Got Rhythm
André Previn - Good morning to the Sun

Venue: Barwon Park
105 Inverleigh Rd
Winchelsea, VIC, 3241

Book now!

An Archduke in Elsternwick! - Schumann, Beethoven & Fidge at Rippon Lea
Tuesday November 19, 2024 at 6.30pm

Violinist Lucy Warren (Orchestra Victoria), cellist Anna Pokorny (Australian Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Players) and Team partner Darryl Coote (piano) present Beethoven's mighty Archduke Trio Op. 97 in the intimate surrounds of the Rippon Lea ballroom, complemented by tenor Michael Petruccelli (accompanied by Darryl Coote) interpreting Schumann's exquisite Liederkreis Op. 39. Also on the program is the world premiere of Australian composer Noel Fidge's Piano Trio No. 2.