A musical expedition from hell to heaven to mark 700 years of Dante Alighieri
Queen Victoria Building, Level 1
5.30-6.00 pm & 6.30-7.00 pm
To celebrate the conclusion of the celebrations organized around the world on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, the Italian Cultural Institute Sydney & Vicinity QBV are proud to present A Journey With Dante, a very original musical expedition through the Divine Comedy divided into three moments: Hell, Purgatory and Heaven.
This legendary journey will be told in an unmissable show inside the iconic and eclectic Queen Victoria Building. A particularly significant performance that recalls the journey of life and which, in this historical moment, finally seems to foreshadow the end of the Pandemic through the glimpse of the Heavenly Stars.
The evocative music – played by piano and a string quarter – will set the scene of the mystical journey from gloomy Inferno to celestial Heaven, while beautiful, soothing Gregorian chants will enthrall us half way in the Purgatory section. We will immerse ourselves into Dante’s world with renowned actor Grant Lyndon’s powerful voice reciting iconic verses from canticles of the Divine Comedy.
The music will be performed by Italian pianist Mauro Colombis, violonist Beatrice Colombis emerging award-winning
ensemble the Cousin Quartet and the Choir of Christ Church St Laurence.
Mauro Colombis is a Sydney based Italian pianist. His qualifications include two masters in classical piano performance (Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatorium, Russia, and Benedetto Marcello Conservatory of Music, Venice) and a Bachelor in Drama, Arts & Music Studies (DAMS – University of Bologna). As classical musician, Mauro has given solo, piano duet and chamber music concerts in different European countries and Australia. He has collaborated with major film festivals and institutions and has performed in all major Australian cities, Italy, Thailand and China.
The Cousin Quartet is an emerging, award-winning act, and consists of two sets of siblings who are also cousins: Beatrice Colombis (Violin I), Dylan Colombis (Violin II), Hanna Wallace (Viola) and Jamie Wallace (Cello). They have played music together since a very young age, as they all initially learnt violin from their grandfather Yasuki Nakamura AM, Honorary President of the Suzuki Music Association in Australia. In 2020 the Cousin Quartet won the First Prize at the Musica Viva “Strike a Chord” Chamber Music Competition, performing the First Movement of the String Quartet op. 44 No. 1in D Major by Mendelssohn. Following the success in the competition, the Cousin Quartet attended a chamber music workshop at the prestigious Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne and performed Two Pieces for String Octet op.11 by Shostakovich together with the Flinders Quartet. Beatrice Colombis, (Violin I) has recently won the Richard Mills First Place Prize for the 2021 Melbourne Recital Hall Bach Competition. She studies performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Goetz Richter. Dylan Colombis (Violin II) is in Year 7 at Sydney Grammar School and studies with violinist Caroline Hopson. Hanna Wallace (Viola) is in Year 10 at Roseville College and studies viola with Robyn Brookfield. Jamie Wallace (Cello) is in Year 8 at Sydney Grammar School and studies cello with Thomas Tsai. All four students are music scholars at their prospective high schools/university.
The Choir of Christ Church St Laurence is one of the oldest continuing choral groups in Australia and was founded shortly after the
consecration of the Church in 1845. It performs an extensive repertoire incorporating music from Gregorian chant through to compositions from 21st century composers. Under the direction of Sam Allchurch, the Choir sings every Sunday at Solemn High Mass and at Solemn Evensong and provides special performances and concerts for all major festivals and feasts throughout the church’s calendar. The Choir is regularly heard on national radio and has released several recordings. The Choir has toured extensively in New Zealand, Europe, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, including residencies in Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral, London and services at Notre Dame, Paris.
Grant Lyndon began his voice career at the age of 14. He is also a trained actor, presenter, musician and writer, and a very proud father of four. Grant’s versatility has allowed him to work across many platforms from TV and radio promo, advertising, corporate and IVR to animation and narration in both television and film. It’s Grant’s ability to add just the right feel and personality to a read that keeps him busy as one of Australia’s most in demand voice artists. Grant also works as a voice coach to both newcomers and seasoned voice artists.
Watch the concert HERE