The new Cómpeta Choir – One Voice – gave its initial concert on the last Friday of October. It was literally Standing Room Only in the Salon de Los Actos!
Two of the members of the choir are not currently in the country, but the 6 ladies and 4 gentlemen sang 14 wonderful pieces of music.
Regrettably, there was no-one to introduce them & prepare the audience for the treat that was to follow….
Hail Poetry from the Pirates of Penzance made a rousing beginning. Followed by a well balanced programme of older and newer songs – from Spanish Eyes to Stand By Me.
We enjoyed Old Favourites from the pens of Rogers & Hammerstein, Gershwin, Glen Miller & Cole Porter. Also solos from Sé with an old Irish song and Jenny Napier, masquerading as the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, playing her flute for The Benedictus from the mass The Armed Man. The lovely Jo treated us to her delicious version of It's De Lovely.
The audience swayed and (quietly) joined in The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves.
The excellent close harmony of The Rhythm of Life led us to the closing piece de la resistance – Barry Manilow's One Voice – obviously the theme
tune of this small group who simply love singing!
All this was under the skilful fingers – if not the baton – of their musical director, Tom Robinson. He was assisted in some of the accompaniments by the lovely Tania, a local Spanish musician.
An unexpected “solo” came from our mayor, Jose Luis, who stunned everyone by addressing us all in English. Someone had volunteered to return the vote of thanks to the mayor and to thank other Spanish friends in their own language, but, at the last minute, was sadly was unable to do so. I think there will be a Stand In available for the next concert.
As we left, our contribution to the collection benefited the Town's Cultural Fund as the choir's way of saying “Thank You” for the support prior to the concert and continued use of the Salon for all of their rehearsals & future concerts. May there be many, many future concerts please!
Cómpeta was then treated to well over a hundred ex-pats, humming, singing and smiling as they made their ways home – content after a lovely evening.
by Jane Kirk
