Review by Katrina Couzens of Basement Baroque presented by Evalyn Legried

The bowels of an old industrial building, at the bottom of yellow-painted steps, on a dusty concrete floor, is hardly the place you expect to see award-winning, internationally acclaimed classical musicians. But that’s exactly the point of Basement Baroque, the grungy setting bringing the flair and drama of Vivaldi, Bach, and other Baroque composers into stark focus.

Evalyn’s approach to concert design is accessible and educational. Kids come free, with an activity corner that gives them prime viewing of the musicians and permission to fidget as much as they need. The concert’s accompanying playbook and Evalyn’s own commentary through the show provided context for the pieces, making the music a kind of puzzle as you listen for meaning in the motifs. Students on work experience from Indooroopilly High managed blocking and lighting. I feel that Vivaldi, himself an educator, and whose Summer and Winter concertos formed the backbone of the concert, would have approved on all fronts.

And what a backbone! Vivaldi’s Four Seasons are some of my favourite pieces of music of all time, combining Baroque showmanship with storytelling and high emotion on par with the deep drama of Romance-era composers, but without the horns and the cannons. Jennen Ngaiu-Keng’s spectacular lead performance made even my “not-into-this-kind-of-thing” husband to “get it”.

The Four Seasons were an unsurprising highlight, but the other musicians were not to be overshadowed. Daniel Kossov’s fun and cheeky “barnyard” Sonata Representiva by Biber got the audience laughing and showed the full range of violin tones from frog to nightingale, while Emily Masciocchi transformed the raw surfaces of the Paint Factory into a chapel with her gorgeous rendition of Bach’s Sonata No.2 in A Minor. Evalyn’s cello performances were emblematic of the Baroque era, with nimbleness that rivalled her violinist counterparts combined with the natural gravitas of the cello. All this tied together by Janet Brewer on harpsichord, an instrument I have never had the opportunity to hear live before, but which lent incredible texture and authenticity to the soloists.

Evalyn has brought together a powerhouse of musicians, into a space that amplifies their abilities through natural acoustics and focus, with a program designed to excite, amaze, and educate. The result is a show that can be enjoyed by music nerds and newbies alike.

But bring a cushion, because the seats are about as comfortable as church pews.