Love displayed in art, music
Love displayed in art, music
By Chris Miller | Staff Writer
Last Wednesday Feb. 11, the theme of love was shared through many different performances and art forms. A diverse group of performers from pianists, singers and even artists with water paints joined in for the festivities.
Plaisir d’Amour (Joy of Love), combined several mediums of creativity to raise tribute to love just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The event was sponsored by the University of Indianapolis Asian Programs and showcased the talent of some of UIndy’s own and some of Indianapolis’ finest with the jewel of the evening considered to be Master Au Ho-nien, a widely recognized contemporary artist in Chinese painting.
The evening of the event began with two UIndy faculty members, Jacklyn Chan on piano and Glen Kwok on violin, setting the mood with their renditions of several works leaving the audience with a taste of love, but merely tickling the palate in preparation of what was to come.
After their short but meaningful performance, Master of Ceremonies Dr. Billy Catchings, chair of the department of communications, introduced artist Ho-nien while sharing his recital of Margaret Atwood’s, “Variations on the Word Love” and encouraged the listeners to “let go” and fall into the Plaisir d’Amour.
“When I am performing literature, it must be literature in which I feel a connection and then I can convey my own personal understanding along with the writer’s,” Catchings said. “I think that any artistic medium invokes reaction responses from the people to whom they are expressed. When the art is an attempt to express or convey love, the medium becomes an intricate part of the extension.”
Immediately after, four proud figures entered the stage with one taking the piano bench as her seat and the other three settling center.
The first performance of the Indianapolis Opera Ensemble was a powerful invocation of “Deh, tu, bell’anima” in which one could hear the pain of a tragic love, and the power that comes thereof in the voice of Emily Fons. Three more performances followed showing the talents and ranges of these performers.
Continuing the essence of love in voice, but now bringing a stronger instrumental support were Chan, Kwok and music department chair Dr. Kathleen Hacker.
While Hacker performed three songs, the beauty and grace of her voice was best shown in her performance of Richard Strauss’s “Morgen!” Hacker has a very moving and powerful soprano voice.
“[Singing] takes you beyond the spoken word to a plane of expression where feelings you cannot express become sensuality,” Hacker said. “I love this fusion of art: the poetry of Shakespeare, the voices of opera, and the visual art bring an essence that transcends nations.”
The vocal performances remained strong throughout the whole night.
When Joanne Um of the Indianapolis Opera Ensemble took the stage, the expressions shared with her voice and her physical performance did more than just show the audience how she felt, but also helped the feeling transition from one form to another.
Her voice carried the performance from cheerful and hopeful to melancholy in just moments.
The evening finished with a performance from the piano and violin duo and the final product of Master Au’s brush.
Within an hour, while singers and musicians were rendering love with their voices, Master Au rendered the audience a painting in which love was symbolically portrayed.
Overall, the performance was a moving interpretation of love through many various art forms. It was a sight to see and an experience to be had for everyone.
Master Au Ho-nien with assistant Bonnie Kwan Huo paint a picture of a rooster and a hen signifying love and loyalty.
