Concert Review: Yanni-Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico.
International concert artist Yanni and his orchestra demonstrate once again they are a leading team of the best musicians worldwide who are prepared to light up the night sky and take the world by storm. In the case of Yanni and the orchestra’s recent live concert event at the historic El Morro fortress in Puerto Rico, the saying “take the world by storm” holds two meanings.
The Oceanside concert venue of Castillo San Felipe del Morro citadel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, presented a challenge for the team by the inclement weather, typical for the historic El Morro coastal locality. Earlier concerts were interrupted due to rainstorms, and it looked as if a miracle was the only hope for the final evening concert scheduled for Saturday night. As it turned out, a windswept atmosphere became a dramatic, silver lining for the ultimate Yanni concert experience.
Yanni-Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico turned out to be an intensely glorious concert event for fans of the international concert artist Yanni, and his sensational orchestra, who are unquestionably, a quality group of the best artists worldwide.
If you have ever had an opportunity to attend a live Yanni concert firsthand, or have watched a televised live PBS concert, then you know each and every concert performance is special, regardless of the venue or historical significance. For over 30 years, Yanni has made his presence known as a leading international concert artist with around one billion admirers. A single concert event, Yanni Live at the Acropolis is the top fundraising program for PBS, which had an astounding 500 million television viewers from 65 countries. The Taj Mahal in India and The Forbidden City in China concert are more examples where PBS viewership reached a television audience of 250 million people.
One might consider Yanni a professional music entertainer, which is true, but only half of the story. There is intensity about Yanni that is profound. One can sense his genuine love of music, and the passion in which he brings inspiration to an audience every time. There is no doubt Yanni and his orchestra love to provide the concert of a lifetime for an audience, regardless of the concert location, or a venue’s historical significance.
Solos by the best artists worldwide are a central attraction during the Yanni-Live at El Morro concert, and every concert performance. It is hard to find the right words to express the quality with each vocalist, and the orchestra. Using adjectives like sensational and spectacular only partly define the superior excellence of the entire orchestra. Every member in Yanni’s world-class orchestra gives a solo performance that can only be described as stunning!
Yanni-Live at El Morro concert opens with two songs from Yanni’s newest album, Truth Of Touch (title song), then a boldly intense song from Truth Of Touch called Vertigo, with duel improvisational solos by Yanni and keyboardist Ming Freeman. Next song on the concert set list is The End Of August, a fan favorite piano and violin piece featuring Samvel Yervinyan and complete orchestral back up.
The beautiful violin solo by Samvel Yervinyan is deeply moving, like the touching song that seems to hold new meaning, The Rain Must Fall. Yanni’s wonderful piano performance precedes a dynamic bass guitar solo by Gabriel Vivas, and breathtaking violin solo by Mary Simpson.
Felitsa is the song Yanni composed, and dedicated to his Mother Felitsa Chryssomallis. By design in composition, Felitsa is a poignant song with verses of piano and violin duet backed by full orchestra. It is a wonderful arrangement many recognize within the first few notes.
The bold refrains of Voyage mark the return of another song from Truth Of Touch, which has stayed in the Top 10 Billboard Chart since released in 2011. Composed for the Hidden City concert in China, vocalist Lauren Jelencovich gives a stunning performance in Nightingale, in time with impromptu solos from orchestra members. Backed by keyboardist Ming Freeman, along with percussionists Yoel Del Sol and Charles Adams, harpist Victor Espinola gives the instrument with origins dating back to 500 BC, a contemporary makeover by his fiery playing technique during Harp Solo.
Vocalists Lisa Lavie and Lauren Jelencovich amaze the audience with their duet and solo talents in Ode to Humanity, and during up-tempo, contemporary song Niki Nana, featuring brass specialists Dana Teboe on trombone and Jason Carder on trumpet. After a standing ovation, Yanni addresses the audience with a heartfelt narrative of the ongoing challenges facing humanity prior to the concluding, full orchestral song, One Man’s Dream.
It’s clear the Yanni team demonstrate once again they are prepared to “take the world by storm” and be victorious. Leave the firework display up to concert attendees who enthusiastically brightened up the nighttime sky by showing their admiration for music celebrity Yanni, and his select team of music professionals. The extraordinary live concert show at El Morro that almost never was to exist is soon to be available on CD and DVD for 2012.
The full orchestra name credits in alphabetical order are; Charles Adams: drums, Benedikt Brydern: violin, Jason Carder: trumpet and flugelhorn, Yoel Del Sol: percussion, Victor Espinola: harp, Ming Freeman: keyboards, James Mattos: French horn, Sarah O’Brien: cello, Mary Simpson: violin, Dana Teboe: trombone, Gabriel Vivas: bass, Samvel Yervinyan: violin, Alexander Zhiroff: cello. The vocalists are; Lauren Jelencovich, and Lisa Lavie.
The Yanni-Live at El Morro DVD and CD will be released on April 17, 2012. Visit Yanni.com to pre-order and purchase, or visit Amazon.com for the new Yanni-Live at El Morro DVD or new CD in 2012. For Yanni’s 2012 North American Concert Tour in the United States and Canada, visit the Yanni.com Concert Tour page for full concert information. Photos are courtesy Yanni-Wake Entertainment & Big Stock Photo – Mandj98.