“On paper, 'A Night with the Legends' at the Royal Albert Hall promised an extraordinary evening: the internationally acclaimed Lebanese singer Abeer Nehme, the London Arab Orchestra under the baton of conductor Basel Saleh, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, and a headline-grabbing 70-strong all-female choir. The ingredients were there for something genuinely special. Sadly, the final dish was far from it.
The concept itself deserves credit. Bringing together Eastern and Western orchestral traditions under one roof at one of the world's most storied venues is an ambitious and culturally rich idea. Abeer Nehme is a singer of real repute, known for her ability to channel the spirit of legendary icons of Arabic music, and her vocal talent was not in question on the night.
What let the evening down, however, was a fundamental lack of musical coordination. From early in the performance it was apparent that the various ensembles had not been sufficiently rehearsed together. The London Arab Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, and the choir too often felt like separate entities sharing a stage rather than a unified whole. The synchronicity that a production of this scale demands was simply absent.
For an event bearing the Royal Albert Hall's name — a venue synonymous with world-class performance — this fell well below the standard audiences rightly expect. With so much talent assembled, the disappointment was all the sharper.
One hopes that future performances give this ambitious production the rehearsal time and musical direction it needs to truly deliver on its remarkable promise.”
“The website was really informative and easy to use when purchasing tickets for an event i was given the option of booking dinner and parking at the same time! Great idea. A great experience offered from a classy venue.”
