Lisa Gerrard
13.04.07 Concerto @ Conservatorio 'G. Verdi' Milano

THE REVIEW

After two years, Lisa Gerrard returns to Milan for a concert, but this time as a solo artist, to present some tracks from her latest CD "The Silver Tree" along with older songs from her other works of the last decade and some gems from the Dead Can Dance repertoire.

Concert marked by omnipresent Elegance: in the chosen location (the Conservatory of Milan is the former sixteenth-century convent of the Laterani), in the stage setup (simple, with white cloths on the ground and at the back where the lights were projected, a grand piano to the right, a gong, and the keyboards to the left permanently illuminated by two candles), and in the singer herself!

At 46 years old (having just had her birthday the day before), Lisa steps out of her ethereal and transcendental Sibyl persona and presents herself as earthy and feminine, alternating between a long form-fitting evening gown in blue and another of the same model but in white, high heels, and her blond hair tied back. Throughout the concert, Lisa is almost motionless with her arms stretched to the microphone stand, focused in performances of technical perfection and emotional intensity that are nothing short of incredible. The setlist is "cunning" and highly impactful: among the warmest ovations from the audience is the one for the second track "Sacrifice" (for those who struggle with titles, it's the track used in the Telecom ad, just to be clear...) of stunning beauty, with a mournful and anguished singing that spans from the most angelic tones to the lower, more earthly ones. This is followed by some tracks from the new CD sung in English, where typical ethnic/tribal rhythms blend with well-balanced and never intrusive sampled electronic effects. The only two musicians accompanying Lisa are an excellent pianist already featured in the latest CD and a keyboardist on samplers, a session musician for 15 years with Dead Can Dance (all the string samplings are splendid).

The most intense tracks were "Sanvean", which dusted off Gerrard's most ethereal side, and one of Dead Can Dance's absolute masterpieces: "Host of Seraphim", masterfully rendered with the male choral support of a friend/collaborator of Lisa's (forgive me, but the name escapes me). An interpretation that reveals years of experience and research not only vocally, but also the perfection in naturally transitioning from high to low registers with virtuosities that evoke distant eras (from the Middle Ages to the Baroque) and different places/cultures (the songs of African tribes, Aboriginal rituals, Indian mantras). A magic that awakened the dead and moved the living to tears. In closing, a tribute to the land of gladiators with "Now we are free" in a continuous crescendo enriched by the chorus friend (imagine how this piece would sound performed inside the Colosseum!) and the imposing percussion. Delirious audience and standing ovation (much warmer compared to two years ago, even if less predictable, many non-gothic, average age 35 years old) that earned an encore with an unreleased piece by Dead Can Dance and the poignant, a cappella, "The wind that shakes the barley", welcomed by a respectful and involved silence.

This was followed by thunderous applause, so much so that Lisa came out for the third time accompanied by the pianist to bid farewell as she did two years ago with the poignant and slightly bluesy "Hymn for the fallen" (a lullaby written for the children of Afghanistan) with a final dedication: "To all of you, beautiful people of Milan: sleep beautifully".