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De-stress with Italian Job

By Sehan Zoysa

Liberty cinema released the action packed movie Italian Job from December 5. The movie, a remake
of the contempory classical masterpiece of 1969 starres Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and Edward Norton.

The script goes like this –A team of high-class thieves avenge their mentor’s death…with the help of his daughter. The plan was flawless..the job was executed perfectly, the escape was clean .

The only threat mastermind thief Charlie Crocker(Mark ) never saw coming was from a member of his own crew.  After the pulling of an amazing gold bullion heist from a heavily guarded palazzo in Venice, Charlie and his gang-inside man Steve(Edward Norton) the backstabber, the computer genius Lyle(Seth Green) who is also the real napster, wheel man Handsome Rob(Jason Statham) who also has the record for the longest car chase, explosives expert Left Ear(Mos Def) who lost one side of his hearing due to an experiment gone wrong when he was 10 and veteran safecracker John Bridger(Donald Sutherland) — can’t believe it when one of them turns out to be a double crosser. Now the job isn’t about the playoff, it’s about payback.

Enter Stella (Charlize Theron), a beautiful nerves of steel safe-cracker, who joins Charlie and his gang when they follow the back stabber to California, where they plan to re steal the gold by tapping in to the Los Angles traffic control system, manipulating signals and creating one of the biggest traffic jams in L. A. history.

Italian Job may not be the best movie that came out this year, but it is something you could watch and not regret the time spent, mainly because of the movie crew, who give a stunning performance. Starting with Mark Wahlberg who plays a memorable role of likeable thief on his first big job as the leader in this remake.

The star of Three Kings nd Boogie Nights is the brains behind the gang meticulously planning the operations and directing the crew. Although not having the same effect and performance he had on Three Kings, he  comes off as a creditable master thief. Seth Green also puts in some!

Charlize gives a powerful performance.

The movie itself is very good. Welcome relief from the monotonous, non-stop action movies, which have too many action sequences, but lack a good plot. The director, F. Gary shows us the planning that must come before a successful heist with action sequences continuing the flow of the story. The scenes involving the Mini’s were very special.

The unique little cars zipping through tunnels and screening down side walks were very amusing, although at times the scenes last too long. At the end of the day the script flows smoothly and the story is short and sweet — an entertaining one hour and 53 minutes

Ramya de Livera — Piano Soloist in concert

Ramya de Livera Perera will be the piano soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia at Friday’s Christmas concert of the Symphony Orchestra, Sri Lanka. This was the part played by Beethoven himself when he premiered the work in 1808.

Ramya appeared recently as a soloist with SOSL in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto last season, as a member of the Colombo Trio together with Ananda Dabare, violin and Dyshantha Perera, cello. Now an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, Ramya won a scholarship there at 15.

The Choral Fantasia, written first, is reminiscent of the Finale of Beethoven’s Choral Symphony No 9 in its similar main melody, its text of universal joy, and its use of large scale vocal forces. However the Fantasia opens with a major extended passage for the solo  piano, which was originally improvised by Beethoven, and the piano continues in dialogue with the orchestra and chorus throughout.

Other works to be performed at the Symphony concert on Friday 12 include Rossini’s William Tell overture and O Fortuna by Carl Orff. Kishani Jayasinghe who is studying opera as a Postgraduate at the Royal Academy, London will be the soprano soloist in Mazart’s Joyous Alleluia from his Exsultate, Jobilate, and in Dvorak’s famous Song To The Moon she will also sing O Holy Night by Adam with the combined choirs of the Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya and the Peterite Chorale.

SOSL’s Family Christmas concert will follow on Saturday 13, featuring excerpts from the Nativity music of Handel’s Messiah, Christmas carols for audience and choirs, Mel Torme’s Christmas Song, John Rutter’s delightful Christmas Lullaby, and a repeat of O Holy Night with Kishani Jayasinghe.

Ajit Abeysekera will conduct both concerts which will be at Ladies College Hall, commencing 7.30 p.m. Friday 12 and at 7.00 p.m. on Saturday, December 13.

Evening of arts

A leader in Sri Lanka’s commercial sector, Delmege Forsyth & Company Limited will present international concert pianist Sujeeva Hapugalle in a piano recital at the Lionel Wendt Theatre December 19 at 7.30 p.m.

The evening’s programme will explore a wide range of emotions, moods, musical poetry and styles of the classical, romantic and impressionistic composers.

Described as “A pianist of rare calibre” (Beethoven Society of Europe), pianist Sujeewa Hapugalle has been highly acclaimed for versatile presentations as a solo recitalist and concerto artiste.

The evening will also highlight a preview exhibition of fine art landscape photographic images by Prasanna Amerasinghe — at the Lionel Wendt Harold Peiris Gallery from 6.30 p.m. Vistas — Moments in Time presents magical images from distant destinations around the world presenting the mystic beauty and harmony of nature from Sri Lanka, Japan, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Europe and North America.

The long journey of Corea

By Dhananjani Silva

If you step in to the Colombo Hilton next time make sure that the simple, talented and friendly pianist Nihal Corea is there to welcome you with his performances. Anyone who listens to his music will conclude that he is a musician who is well aware of the techniques and art of music. One can definitely enjoy the soothing effect that floats around in the air as this unassuming pianist begins to move his fingers in a very careful and delicate manner on the piano, playing any tune from the ’30s to present day hits.

Having started his musical career in 1964, Nihal was playing for many bands until 1976 when Randy Pieris and The Playboys disbanded and he was compelled to take over Oceanites as their organiser. It was only after he received an offer from vocalist Sanath Goonetilleke to join his band Gentle On My Mind, he bid goodbye to Oceanties after six months.

 In the meantime he acknowledges pianists Garric Abeywickreme and Cecil Pieris who spurred him to think of being a pianist. Having the experience of three decades Nihal Corea now intends to release a CD of his own.

This man is worth hearing!