★★★★☆
Fiona Stanley is a highly respected and lauded medical epidemiologist, even winning the title of Australian of the Year in 2003. She has cemented herself as an invaluable Western Australian treasure but doesn’t seem a natural choice as the subject of a performance by the Perth Symphony Orchestra.
Can scientific prowess and medical advancement provide the perfect backdrop to orchestral symphonies? I attended WA Stories Chapter III to find out exactly that!
Beginning with Fiona’s childhood, WA Stories Chapter III combines photos, quotes, videos, narration and, obviously, the music to create a multi-sensorial and beautifully layered story.
The narrator, Desiree Silva, has a wonderful voice that provides the perfect accompaniment to scores by the likes of Beethoven, Bach and Mendelssohn. With the visual and narrative elements, I was able to learn so much about Fiona’s life, and was staggered by how much she had achieved, and how many lives she had impacted.
Indeed, Fiona Stanley was responsible for recognising the importance of folate in reducing defects like spina bifida in pregnancy, and for the addition of folate to bread!
While the music played by the orchestra was very beautiful and they are to be commended, there was also wonderful singing by the Perth Modern School Chorale as well as soprano Bonnie de la Hunty and mezzo-soprano Amber Lister.
The variety of performers made the content more engaging, and Fiona, who was herself in attendance, would no doubt have been proud. My favourite piece was The Skye Boat Song, arranged by Adrian Soares, which has always been a song I’ve loved. Brought to life on the screen during Fiona’s stint in Scotland, the score was a transfixing moment.
Now at 79 years old, and with millions of lives impacted by her kindness, her expertise and her grit, it does seem natural, in retrospect, that Fiona would be celebrated in musical form. A passionate advocate for mothers and children, indigenous people and the Western Australian community, there’s so much to dive into and glean from this extraordinary woman.
From the opening Moonlight Sonata to the closing Nimrod, arranged by Adrian Soares again, the whole production comes together to form a moving tribute. Unbeknownst to me, Fiona’s father was not only a brilliant mind himself, but also a pianist, and so Fiona has an enduring love for music, making this performance even more fitting.
While charting the highs and lows of Western Australian icons through music wasn’t an obvious choice at first for me, I’ll confess I saw how effective and interesting it was when watching and listening to Fiona’s instalment.
Other subjects still to come are Ben Elton in September and Dennis Lillee in November. Being a firm believer in how wonderful Western Australia is and what we have to offer, the concept did grow on me.
Make sure you catch the final performance, because it has an extremely short run of only three shows. A performance by the Perth Symphony Orchestra, especially one in the surrounds of the WA Museum, under the hulking skeleton of Otto the Blue Whale, is always a treat.
WA Stories Chapter III: Fiona Stanley is presented by Perth Symphony Orchestra and the final performance runs on 30 July. Joy Shepherd Performing Arts Centre, St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls. 26 Bay View Terrace Mosman Park WA 6012.
Venue details and parking map can be found here.
Tickets are available here.
Website: https://perthsymphony.com/concerts-and-tickets/wa-stories
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/perthsymphony/
Photo credits: Nushade
