What a lovely way to spend your 80th birthday!
Instead of one of his regular singing performances at St Andrew's and St George's West in the Fringe, Geoffrey Madell asked some of friends to join him to celebrate his special birthday in song. And they did this in style. But it was Geoffrey Madell who deservedly stole the show.
The hour long concert started with French songs and Geoffrey Madell as baritone singing Ravel's Trois Chansons. Lesley Bruce Bruce followed with a touching farewell to a loved one. The Coro 14 Quartet gave us Ravel's Nicolette and with two additional singers Ravel's Trois beaux oiseaux.
Three songs from Berlioz from Nuits D'Ete were sung by Elizabeth Woolven before the two pianists, Helen Maddox and Alan Graham played the four-handed Dolly Suite by Faurē. Two American songs from Lesley Bruce and Geoffrey Madell returned to front stage for the Kipling poem Come You Back to Mandalay.
The Coro 14 Quartet gave us Debussy, Geoffrey Madell Porgy and Bess by Gershwin and he was joined by Lesley Bruce for I got rhythm.
As the birthday surprise Geoffrey Madell took to a front seat in the audience and on to the stage popped Ben especially from Guildhall in London and all the performers were singing Toreador from Bizet's Carmen. It was great to be at a lovely birthday concert.
Concert: 8th August 2014 at 12.30pm