# Simon Keenlyside/Julius Drake recital



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Last Friday I went to a recital by Simon Keenlyside and Julius Drake at Temple Church in London.

I'm not very good at reviews & don't have a musical background & this review in The Independent says everything I want to say, so I'll just say a bit about my experience.

Temple Church is in a very old part of London just off Fleet Street (Da Vinci Code fans will know of it) and it's in the area where all the legal eagles hang out.



*Temple Church*



* Typical of barristers' names*



*Middle Temple Lane*

I wasn't sure about the acoustics but needn't have worried. Simon seemed to be able to create a delicate echo when wanted but then when he really turned up the wick, the whole place was filled with the most amazing sound.

*Programme*

Schubert:
An Sylvia (Shakespeare)
Die Einsiedelei (Salis-Seewis) (verses 1 & 3 only)
Verklärung
Freiwilliges Versinken (Mayrhofer)
Gruppe aus dem Tartarus (Schiller)
Himmelsfunken (Silbert) (verses 1 & 2 only)
Ständchen (Rellstab)
Die Sterne D939 (Leitner)
Im Walde (Schlegel), D.708

Wolf:
Gesang Weylas (Möricke)
Heimweh (Möricke)
Auf eine Christblume Il (Möricke)
Lied vom Winde (Möricke)

*Interval*

Ravel: Histoires Naturelles

Fauré:
Mandoline op 58/1 (Verlaine)
En sourdine op 58/2 (Verlaine)
Green op 58/3 (Verlaine)
Notre amour op 23/2 (Silvestre)
Fleur jetée op 39/2 (Silvestre)
Spleen op 51/3 (Verlaine)
Madrigal de Shylock op 57/2 (Haraucourt)
Aubade op 6/1 (Pomey)
Le papillon et la fleur op1/1 (Hugo)

*Encores*
Schubert: Der Wanderer an den Mond
Schubert: L'incanto degli Occhi
Schubert: Der Gondelfahrer​
I hadn't done my homework & didn't know a lot of the songs but it didn't matter as Simon could sing the telephone directory & it would sound beautiful.

Simon & Julius make a fantastic team and there was quite a bit of banter between them. When they came back out for the third encore, Julius said something about Simon getting into the swings of things to which Simon replied "At last"

After the performance there was wine & conversation & then Simon & Julius made themselves available for photos, autographs & general chat which was brilliant. I absolutely adore Simon & was trying so hard not to be star-struck & tongue-tied but it's not easy when you're confronted with your idol & your heart's pounding so I chatted to Julius first. Which sounds awful because he's so nice but he just doesn't have the same effect on me.

I managed to pluck up courage to ask Simon which production of Macbeth he was doing in May/June 2011 but I was so caught up with the fact that Simon Keenlyside was standing in front of me & talking to me about opera, I have completely forgotten what he said.

I did hear the end of a conversation he was having with someone else about an unusual production of Onegin where Onegin is possibly gay & more interested in Lenski than in Tatiana? (opera buffs may know the one he was talking about) Not sure if he's doing it though.

Then before I lost my nerve completely I asked if I could have my photo taken with him.

I was so happy I was floating, and don't remember how I got back to my hotel. I know I must have been grinning from ear to ear because people were looking at me & smiling back.



*Julius Drake & Simon Keenlyside*



*Simon Keenlyside & yours truly*


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Ha, Annie, that's so funny, and just how I would probably have reacted. What a treat your evening was!


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## Janet Woodall (Oct 25, 2010)

Hi Annie
Lovely photos of a very special evening. I was there on Friday too, sitting just behind you. I was with a group of friends, some of whom you were sitting next to, who help me manage Simon's website, www.simonkeenlyside.info, where some other photos from TempleSong have just been added. I also manage Julius's archive and website, www.juliusdrake.info. Would it be possible to use your photos, with full credit (unless you say otherwise) on their sites? 
Best wishes
Janet Woodall


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Janet Woodall said:


> Hi Annie
> Lovely photos of a very special evening. I was there on Friday too, sitting just behind you. I was with a group of friends, some of whom you were sitting next to, who help me manage Simon's website, www.simonkeenlyside.info, where some other photos from TempleSong have just been added. I also manage Julius's archive and website, www.juliusdrake.info. Would it be possible to use your photos, with full credit (unless you say otherwise) on their sites?
> Best wishes
> Janet Woodall


Yes of course. I will send you a PM.


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