By Suzanne Tate
It feels somewhat lazy to use the title of a performance as your main adjective, but my experience on Thursday night felt transcendent indeed. The exquisite voice and masterful vocal control of Mama Alto, along with her warm personality, self-deprecating humour and engaging storytelling, left me feeling truly moved.
The Primrose Potter Salon at the Melbourne Recital Centre was decked out beautifully in a stunning display of white blooms by floral artist Emma Dorward, lit beautifully by Zoe Watkins, setting the scene perfectly for Mama Alto’s performance. She entered the salon long before the show started, drinking her tea and floating around the intimate space, chatting with the audience, asking their names and making an individual connection with everyone she spoke to. It felt warm and genuine, and after the show, during the meet-and-greet, she still remembered my name. The salon is cosy, with seating for only 140 people for this show, which adds to the special atmosphere. Being fortunate to sit directly in front of Mama Alto, it felt like she was performing just for us, although she did make sure she sang to each of the 3 sides of the room.
Mama Alto was accompanied by an amazing pianist, Joshua Haines. The skill he displayed was not just as an accomplished performer in his own right, but he was also the perfect accompanist, able to follow the highly flexible nature of Mama Alto’s jazz renditions. For similar reasons, I was also highly impressed with the sound technician, Simon Foster, as I imagine it is quite difficult to balance a performance that shifts from a whisper to a powerful belt in a moment, with the singer’s lips sometimes pressed against the microphone and at other times held at a distance. Mama Alto was masterful at controlling her volume, resonance and tone in that way, but Foster also ensured it was always crystal clear, with nary a crackle or sound of feedback. As a singer, it was fascinating to watch how she used her face and mouth shape, tongue placement, etc., to completely change the nature of the sound she produced, something that would not have been visible in a larger venue. Mama Alto’s version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face brought tears to my eyes. I have performed that song myself in years past, but I do not think I will ever be so bold again, now that I know what it can, and should, sound like.
To those in the audience not familiar with the nature of cabaret, as was the case with my guest, the program may have appeared to be quite brief, with only seven songs, including the encore. But the evening was extended with frequent anecdotes and amusing observations, sometimes delivered after a sudden stop in the middle of a song. Mama Alto even sang Happy Birthday to a member of the audience, with her customary flair.
Mama Alto looked beautiful in a glittering dark dress under a deep blue floaty peignoir, with white flowers arranged atop her hair, Frida Kahlo style. After a few songs, she slipped off her shoes and performed barefoot, sometimes seated in an ornate Rococo-style chair as she sang, although amazingly, it never negatively affected her performance or breath control.
The evening began with Tea for Two, followed by The First Time, Tell Me More, Round Midnight, Autumn Leaves, Wild is the Wind, and concluded with Sondheim’s Send in the Clowns as the encore. Autumn Leaves was intertwined with a folk song by Percy Grainger, whose unique notation and signature adorn the walls of the Salon. Coincidentally, Haines is an archivist of Grainger’s work, contributing to the perfect opportunity for a beautiful new interpretation of Jacques Prévert’s Autumn Leaves in a musical ‘conversation’ with one of Granger’s creations. The finale of Send in the Clowns also looped back briefly to a line or two from The First Time…, just as haunting and beautiful as the previous version. The program was a delightful mix of reinterpretations of the familiar and exposure to new-to-me treasures, all performed with exquisite control, soulful emotion and stunning vocal gymnastics.
Transcendent is only running until January 31st, but I strongly suggest doing your best to get there, or to any future Mama Alto performance – you do not want to miss this amazing musical experience. And you just might be as lucky as I in taking home a delightful teddy bear dressed as Mama Alto, handcrafted by the lady herself, to remind you of the experience.
