Royal Melbourne Philharmonic's Christmas Carol excellence in the heat of the night at St Paul's Cathedral

It was still over 40°C when Royal Melbourne Philharmonic presented a splendid evening of Carols in the Cathedral in a packed St Paul’s that easily held the heat at bay on Friday night. Just as well because the RMP Orchestra and 150 or so choristers from the RMP Choir, Melbourne University Choral Society and the Australian Children’s Choir had a comprehensive and demanding program to deliver. And they mastered it with consummate excellence for the occasion.

Royal Melbourne Philharmonic's Carols in the Cathedral 

Led by conductor Andrew Wailes, who brought generously warm and spacious feeling to the music, both the familiar and unfamiliar combined in a beautifully curated two-part program. Traditional carols such as “Once in Royal David's City”, “The First Nowell”, “O, Come All Ye Faithful” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” resonated gloriously in arrangements regal and heroic with polished brass and explosive percussion by English composer Sir David Willcocks. For these, the audience was invited to sing along. 

So too they were for Australian William James’ “Christmas Day” which concisely brings home the notion of Christmas far from the Holy Land and the wintery northern hemisphere. Heart-warming reflections by Julie Houghton and Roland Rocchiccioli (Jacinta Dennett providing gleaming accompaniment on harp), highlighted the significance of Christmas and religious expression. 

Tenor Louis Hurley and soprano Lee Abrahmsen studded the night with radiant moments which included Hurley’s sensitive colouring of Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and Abrahmsen’s powered and broad-ranged plushness in “The Holy City”. James Morley’s wonderful cello accompaniments were mellow and confident, particularly in Hurley and Abrahmsen’s finely sung “Panis angelicus”.

The children charmed with a swathe of spirited and joyously sung offerings such as “Sussex Carol”, the sweet and lulling Welsh song, “Suo-Gân” and the rhythmic and crystal-sounding beauty of “Laudate”. A stirring “Silent Night” and the heavenly sweep of the adult voices in “All My Heart, This Night Rejoices” were other highlights in a concert that let music wrap the meaning of Christmas into a gift as a reminder that the act of giving can extend in all manner of ways.


Carols in the Cathedral 
Royal Melbourne Philharmonic 
St Paul’s Cathedral 
Friday 20th December, 8.30pm
Saturday 21st December, 3pm and 8pm


4-stars 


Photo: Martin Philbey