Love and Latin

Saturday 25th May 2024 at 2pm

SunPAC Theatre, 470 McCullough St., Sunnybank
Adults $38, Concessions, student and group bookings available - children under 5 free
Bookings:

• Online: www.sunpac.net.au
• Phone: 3323 9650
• At the door: if not previously sold out

Saturday 1st June 2024 at 2pm

Church of Christ Kenmore Community Centre
41, Brookfield Rd. Kenmore
Adults $30, Concessions $26, Students $12 and under 5 free
Book on line: TBA, or Call Maree 3378 2384, and tickets also available at the door if not previously sold out. 

The Brisbane City Pops Orchestra is delighted to be presenting our second concert for 2024, entitled Love and Latin. This programme combines the wonderful rhythms and melodies of Latin music with some of our favourite songs and music inspired by the heart – what a combination!

The orchestra will be presenting two pieces from the well-known Andalucia Suite by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, sure to have your feet tapping! We will also perform the fabulous music of Carmen Suite No. 1 by Bizet, the wonderful melodies taken from the famous opera about love and tragedy.

The BCPO is excited to welcome back Chen Yang, not only as our conductor for this concert, but also as an amazing soloist, performing the beautiful Romance by Svendson on violin – sure to melt your heart!

The orchestra will present a wide variety of music for your entertainment, including the favourite Begin the Beguine by Cole Porter, the tender tones of the mellow Cavatina by Myers, the lively Cumana by Barclay Allen, a selection of fabulous music from the show Guys and Dolls by Loesser and the melodic Yellow Bird by Luboff. We will also perform Estrellita by Ponce, a wonderful piece featuring the trumpet and Leroy Anderson’s Blue Tango – you will definitely feel like dancing!

The BCPO is very happy to be welcoming back one of our favourite and most popular guest artists, Raffaele Pierno, an amazing Neapolitan Tenor!

Raffaele was born in Naples, Italy (in the same street as the legendary Tenor, Enrico Caruso) and started singing at a very young age. As a teenager he entertained people by performing at local trattorias, where he was discovered by his future voice coach. Raffaele trained under baritone Antonio Finizio from the Royal Theatre San Carlo in Naples and was taught the disciplines of “bel canto” singing, as were famous singers Luciano Pavarotti, Enrico Caruso and others. He has performed extensively throughout Europe, Italy and Australasia for many charities and brings his heritage of Neapolitan songs to his audiences with his beautiful voice and passionate singing!

Raffaele will delight you with his performance of Trio Italiano, an arrangement of three very popular Italian songs, the heart-felt Flower Song from Carmen by Bizet, the dramatic Granada by Lara and the light-hearted Donkey Serenade by Friml.

So please come and join the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra for a wonderfully entertaining afternoon of memorable melodies and rich rhythms as we celebrate the uplifting music of Love and Latin!

Chen Yang (Conductor)

Chen Yang was appointed concertmaster of the Queensland Theatre Orchestra (QTO) after graduating from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with distinction in violin performance. He later joined the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) for many years.

Chen is currently the leader and conductor of Corda Spiritus Orchestra of Brisbane and The Sinfonia of St Andrew’s Orchestra. He appears regularly as guest conductor for The Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra in their annual Metro Concert Series.  In 2014 he was invited to conduct The Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra in a Gala Concert celebrating their 20^thAnniversary.

Chen has worked in music education for many years with his long association with the Queensland Youth Orchestra (QYO) leading their Junior String Ensemble (JSE) consisting of up to 70 talented young string players. At present he is also conductor and string teacher at St Hilda’s School, Southport.

His other musical interests include playing baroque violin with The Badinerie Players of Brisbane.    

 

Rafaelle Pierno (Neapoliton Tenor)

Born in Naples, Italy (in the same street as the legendary tenor Enrico Caruso), Raffaele started singing at a very young age. As a teenager, he entertained people by performing in local trattorias, where he was discovered by his future voice coach, just like Caruso. His highly successful debut was a tribute concert to the greatest tenor of all time, Enrico Caruso, which took place in their birth city, Naples.

Trained under Italian voice coach, baritone Antonio Finizio from the Royal Theatre San Carlo of Naples (also a good friend and colleague of famous tenor Mario Del Monaco), Raffaele was taught the disciplines of “bel canto” singing, such as well-known singers Luciano Pavarotti, Beniamino Gigli, Franco Corelli, and the legendary tenor Enrico Caruso.

He has performed extensively throughout Europe, Italy, and Australasia for many charities, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, Red Cross (Europe and Asia Pacific), Human Brain Research Programme Qld, as well as community fundraisers and the Little Mater Miracles Fundraising Ball, Rotary International Gold Coast Brisbane, to mention a few.

In every concert he appears, Raffaele brings his heritage of Neapolitan songs to his audiences with a breath of fresh air - “L’anima di Napoli” (The Soul of Naples), a mix of Neapolitan traditional classics in its original language, such as ‘O Sole Mio, Torna a Surriento, and the most famous of all, Funiculì Funiculà’.