Soprano Sonya Headlam and Winston Ewart on piano at the former's concert last week Monday at the University Chapel. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance photographer

Many Jamaican music lovers are giving thanks that New York-based soprano Sonya Headlam has relatives in the island. It's not surprising, as she was born of Jamaican parents (in the USA), but it is fortunate, since the situation led to a truly delightful recital at the University Chapel, Mona, last Monday night.

What happened, The Sunday Gleaner understands, was this: when veteran theatre practitioner Gerard 'Buddy' Pouyatt (well known as actor, director and producer), one of Headlam's relatives, learned that she would be visiting Jamaica to help celebrate her grandmother's 85th birthday, he suggested that she give a recital while in Kingston. The suggestion was accepted, a public relations firm was contacted, a sponsor obtained and the chapel booked.

The result was the glitzy, well-attended, much-applauded event, A Classical Evening with Sonya Headlam.

superbly entertained

In fact, the term 'classical' is far too narrow to describe the concert of songs with which the audience was superbly entertained. The programme was classified under no less than six headings: sacred songs, arias, Jamaican folk songs, from three dream portraits, African American spirituals and from Carousel.

The variety is a reflection of the singer's versatility. The message in the printed programme from the patron of the event, Jamaica National Building Society's general manager Earl Jarrett, hints at that versatility when he writes of "this accomplished daughter of Jamaica whose voice and extensive repertoire have moved audiences around the world".

The singer's biography gives details of her wide range of talents: "She has been a recitalist in several Caribbean territories, including Guadeloupe, which she toured with members of the Cuban Philharmonic. Ms Headlam's repertoire spans the genres of art song, concert and operatic works.

"She began the fall 2008 season with a concert of music by women composers in New York City. She continued with performances of Menotti's The Telephone with Delphi Opera in New York City in December. Her concert engagements have included Faure's Requiem, Haydn's Misa Brevis, St Joannis de Deo and The Messiah."

Headlam also sings Opera and has appeared in such popular ones as Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's La Boheme, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Copland's The Tender Land.

Interestingly, she is increasingly involved in contemporary music and was a featured artiste in two world premieres, Michael Sahl's Katrina, Voices of the Lost, performed at the famous Tribeca New Music Festival, and Richard Thompson's The Mask in the Mirror, sponsored by New York City and presented by the City University of New York.

ACCOMPANIMENT

Under the six headings mentioned, Headlam sang 19 songs, all given sensitive accompaniment by pianist Winston Ewart. The compere, Marjorie Whylie, introduced thevarious composers of the songs, who included Gabriel Faure, Charles Gounoud, Giacomo Puccini, Gustave Charpentier, Jacques Offenbach, Heitor Villa-Lobos, George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.

Despite the demanding number of songs she delivered over the hour and a half the concert lasted, Headlam's voice remained strong, her tone pure, her vocal rangeflexible. Using hands, face and body, as well as her voice, she drew on her operatic training and acting ability to pour emotion and feeling into every number.

She was a delight to watch, as well as to listen to, as she conveyed the numerous emotions the songs demanded. Love was expressed in O Mio Babbino Caro (Puccini), humour as she portrayed a wind-up doll or marionette in La Chanson d'Olympia (Offenbach), religious fervour in the spiritual Give Me Jesus (arranged by Lloyd Hall) and sincerity in You'll Never Walk Alone (Rodgers).

The fact that her accent was perfect for the Jamaican songs, Sweet Charlie, Wata Come a Me Eye, Cudelia Brown and Evening Time was an added bonus to what was, over all, a glorious evening of song by a world-class artiste.