“Viva La Diva”, Contempo’s debut concert celebrated works that defined divas of our century. The term “Diva” holds the essence of an eminent opera singer with an illustrious career; however the choir gave this a new definition – in true “Contempo” style.
The concert was one unique musical experience where Eshantha Pieris’ ingenious arrangements of all-time hits of Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Tina Turner, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga came alive on a single platform. The repertoire of the concert included a variety of songs that had not been attempted by local choirs up to date.
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“We wanted to have few oldies mixed together with a touch of contemporary style songs appreciating the Divas from different eras” said Thilini. The choir was accompanied by Eshantha Pieris and Loui Perera on Piano, Sumudi Suraweera on drums and Isaac Smith on Bass and featured the Old Joes’ Choir keeping strong the brother school tie. An inimitable rendition of “Conga Rhythm” together with a breathtaking mash-up of songs from the 90’s and contemporary hits made “Viva la Diva” a night worth the investment. “This concert is a dream come true! We were planning to do a concert of our own from the time the choir started! The show featured memorable numbers from unforgettable Divas in our own style,” said Imani.
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The ladies in black offering “Like a prayer” by Madonna with a ‘contemporary’ touch launched the debut concert that built to the toe-tapping rendition of “It’s in his kiss” by Betty Everett unveiling diva flair of the choir, followed by the mellow tunes of “Tell him” by Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand.
The ladies moved gracefully on stage with choreography that didn’t steal attention from the harmonious sound the choir created. The limited space on stage was used effectively with smooth movement that complemented the singing. Eshantha and Loui on piano added essence to the singing, supported by the steady beat of the drums that added energy.
The Adele Medley with “Rumour has it”, “Rolling in the deep” and “Someone like you” captured the attention of the audience with the oomph added by the instruments and attitude conveyed through voice. The first Accapella performance was that of “Diamonds are forever” by Shirley Bassey with a ‘Contempo’ touch of vocal percussion. Though individual voices stood out at certain points the performance was nevertheless appreciated by the audience.
The Old Joes’ choir added colour to the evening with the romantic hues of Elton John’s “Something about the way you look tonight”, “Water Runs Dry” by Boys II Men and an Accapella rendition of “Crazy little thing called love” by Queen. Dilini who shared musical direction with Eshantha Pieris for “Viva la Diva” did more than justice to Gladys Knight’s “Midnight train to Georgia” with a powerful voice that took the audience down memory lane and was held in high esteem as proven by the prolonged, loud applause of the audience following the performance.
The toe-tapping rendition of Gloria Estefan’s “Conga Rhythm” in true Contempo style got the audience moving in their seats as the choir took spotlight in colourful dresses with dull gold adornment.
The collective sound of the choir captured the essence and attitude of Shelly Fabares’ “Johnny Angel” and “Empire State of mind” by Alicia Keys. As seen, the repertoire of songs portrayed different eras that bridged on one platform to celebrate ‘Divas’ who made history through chorus! The performance of Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” that began on placid notes built to a jazzed up performance with the speed and energy of the instrumentalists making a distinct difference between the dejected, sorrowfulness of the first half to the joy and energy of the second. A medley of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” and “Telephone”, Madonna’s “Express Yourself”, “Toxic” by Britney Spears and “Single Ladies” by Beyonce, in masquerade masks marked the end of Viva la Diva with the colour and panache of a diva within each chorister flaunted on stage in all glory.
The all female ensemble of twenty two, took to stage flaunting diva glamour on the 7th and 8th of June at the Russian Cultural Center. The Gold Sponsors of the night were Amante and Seylan Bank, Real Radio the electronic Media Sponsor and the Sunday Times, Daily FT and Daily Mirror, Official Print Media Sponsors.
COMMENTS:
“Enjoyed the music. Excellent selection of songs overall. Loved ‘Diamonds are forever’!” Ayanthi
“Dilini rocked! We liked the variety. Song selection was good. It was contemporary!” Anushka
“It was great! Fabulous! They have improved since their last performance. Loved Conga Rhythm!” Anton
By Sapthika Jacob
Pics by Indraratne Balasuriya
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