Hastings Sinfonia: Fiesta, review: St Mary in the Castle, Saturday, July 6

A full house and a cosmopolitan group of soloists gathered in St Mary in the Castle for a night of music, which may have focused on Spanish traditions but was drawn from a wide range of composers and soloists.
By Brian Hick
Published 11th Jul 2019, 15:09 BST
Giulio Tampalini. Picture by Sergio LussignoliGiulio Tampalini. Picture by Sergio Lussignoli
Giulio Tampalini. Picture by Sergio Lussignoli

There was a real sense of excitement in the audience before it commenced and one that continued throughout the many moods of the evening.

Hastings Sinfonia, under conductor Derek Carden, opened with the first section of the Overture to Carmen followed rapidly by D’amor sull’ali rosee from Il Trovatore, sung with real passion by Thomasin Trezise. The main item of the first half was a complete performance of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with accomplished guitar soloist Giulio Tampalini. The work is normally heard in separate movements so it was good to hear it complete for once, and the applause between movements did not upset the enjoyment of the whole.

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Giulio returned in the second half for an arrangement of Polo Piatti’s Goodbye, which proved gently moving in its melancholy, in total contrast to his Tango Solitaire, which was interpreted by dancers from Diana Freedman’s School of Dance. Flamenco Dancer Ana Leon joined the orchestra to give us a lively interpretation of two familiar dances by Manuel de Falla, and we were all encouraged to join in the clapping sections of Manuel Artes’ Chamambo.

The evening ended with Arturo Marquez’ Danzon No2 popularised by Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra.

A collection and raffle was held for the RNLI and a cheque was handed over for £200.

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