Concert live stream: Still The Soul Soars: A Musical Journey with Lynelle Kenned and Stefan Lombard
Still The Soul Soars- at a glance. All you need to know about buying tickets, access etc, follows after the Lockdown Interview with Lynelle Kenned
✅ Concert streaming date: 5pm,Sunday May 24, 2020
✅ Tickets: R100
✅ Direct booking link -South Africa: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/105040-still-the-soul-soars-live-stream-concert-with-lynelle-kenned-and-stefan-lombard/#/
✅ Direct booking link- international:Viewers out of South Africa -international viewers the link is: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/105062-still-the-soul-soars-live-stream-concert-with-lynelle-kenned-and-stefan-lombard/#/
✳Part of the proceeds from ticket sales, will also be donated to the Theatre Benevolent Fund
Lynelle Kenned lockdown interview
What are you planning to do on this lockdown weekend? The experts tell us that it is important to have structure and to make commitments and keep to them: going for that walk from 6am-9am, doing the beds; getting dressed and most importantly interacting with people- even if it is facilitated through the internet. The arts are a vital part of our lives. When we commune in a theatre and watch musical theatre, we are transported to another place. The same goes for watching plays and other forms of live performance. At a time when we are feeling fractured and anxious, we need to transcend through the panic and music is a great way to do this. On Sunday – May 24, award-winning creative Lynelle Kenned will transport you through the beautiful voice on a musical journey, titled, Still The Soul Soars. The opera trained artist has made her mark in opera and musical theatre. In addition to having a magnificent voice, she is a superb actor and has tremendous stage presence and charisma. For the concert on Sunday, she will be accompanied on piano by Stefan Lombard.
Kenned is very chilled and positive. We need that. She lives in an ashram in Cape Town so perhaps that has to with her affirmative spirit. Buy your ticket and switch off for an hour of soul soaring music. The concert and live stream is being produced by Aki Khan of Penny Lane Studios in Cape Town. Kahn is renowned in South Africa’s as a music and sound expert and has been involved with staging shows by luminaries like David Kramer.
TheCapeRobyn: Still The Soul Soars: That sounds very uplifting. Please give us a sense of the programme?
Lynelle Kenned: Stefan and I chose the title to convey the magical up-liftment that music brings to the spirit. Music has always been my life and joy, and it’s even more important to share that with our audiences amidst this time of uncertainty and suffering.
For our program we have selected popular light classics, covers, musical theatre favourites and art songs to name a few.
We will also be including an aria from the standard operatic repertoire, and an art song by composer Jean-Pierre Steyn, set to a poem by Ingrid Jonker.
TheCapeRobyn: Is this your first lockdown concert? How did this collaboration about?
Lynelle Kenned: Stefan and I have been collaborating for years, some of the most memorable shows being Cape Town Opera’s “Show Boat” in 2014, and the more recent Calling Us Home. So it’s wonderful to be expanding our artistic partnership to Live Stream concerts – a first for both of us.
On my side, lockdown has been a productive time artistically. For the first five weeks, I formed part of an unofficial artist residency called The Partly Cloudy Pirate Circus, where I was able to record vocals for some of my repertoire (aria, lieder, oratorio) and produce accompanying music videos. The content can be accessed through the Partly Cloudy Pirate Circus social media pages.
TheCapeRobyn: This will be a concert that will go out live. We will watch you and Stefan in The Penny Lane Studios, in Wynberg. Will you be interacting with the comments bar? Will you for example take requests from the audience?
Lynelle Kenned: It is certainly peculiar to be performing to an audience that is absent in their physical presence, but yes, we’d love to have people engage with us about their experience. Without disrupting the flow of the concert, we will be reading some of the comments after the planned interval.
Our program is varied as it is, and as it is nearly impossible to cater to everyone’s song favourites, we made the decision to not take song requests.
I daresay there will be something to everyone’s taste, including a few pleasant surprises in our repertoire of lesser known pieces.
TheCapeRobyn: Reflections on doing this concert which is so different to what you are used to in front of a live audience?
Lynelle Kenned: A live performance is magical, in the immediate exchange of energy between audience and performers – the experience of sharing something that lives only in the moment, fleeting and tangible, the chance to look someone in the eyes and connect, the blessing of being able to witness how the music moves people.
I think there are beautiful opportunities in the format of the live stream, too – not being limited by location and size of a venue, a chance to share your art with a wider audience. And the luxury of experiencing the art from the comfort of your own home.
TheCapeRobyn: Aki Khan of Penny Lane Studios is introducing the two of you to the audience?
Lynelle Kenned: Aki Khan and his team have been incredible in hosting us at the brilliant Penny Lane Studios. As I understand, he’ll be doing the initial introduction and then handing over to Stefan and myself.
TheCapeRobyn: Your reflections on being in lockdown? Where have you have been in lockdown in Cape Town?
Lynelle Kenned: Following the artist residency, I was able to return to Avalon Ashram in Claremont, where I have been residing since September 2018. [https://sacredintuitive.com/avalon-ashram/] The space at the Ashram creates the opportunity for deep diving into self-reflection. COVID-19 will forever change the way that the industry has functioned, and has made me investigate my purpose, and how to find meaning and security in different ways. I am particularly interested in the field of sound therapy from the perspective of shamanic sound journeys, as well as Death Doula work.
TheCapeRobyn: Anything else to add about the streamed concert, life in lockdown?
Lynelle Kenned: I am hoping that everyone that has been appreciative of my body of work will realise the importance of their support during a time where artists have been left extremely vulnerable – every ticket sold helps not just myself and Stefan, and the wonderful folks of Penny Lane Studios and Eastern Acoustics, but a portion of the proceeds will also be donated to the Theatre Benevolent Fund. Since the lockdown the TBF has, besides the incredible work it already does, expanded its services to issuing much needed food vouchers to entertainment industry workers who have been deprived of the means to earn an income.
TheCapeRobyn: It is impossible to predict what will happen regarding the opening of theatres but the general consensus is that it will be unlikely for mainstream venues to open in SA, until January 2021. And yet it seems that some venues are already talking about opening abroad. What is on the cards for you?
Lynelle Kenned: I am slowly familiarising myself to the changes that have been necessitated by the lockdown, with more work happening virtually, and strict safety procedures for producing in-person content.
I would have been in Sweden this month with a collaborative performance art project funded by their Arts Council, and the team are looking at ways of adapting and evolving the project to be able to resume our collaboration.
I try to take it a day at a time, to be flexible, visionary and creative in carrying on with my life and career.
I have no doubt that my best projects still lie ahead, and I’m excited to meet the challenges as they come.
Image credit: Lynelle Kenned. Photo by Anna Pepper
Concert live stream– ticket details –Still The Soul Soars: A Musical Journey with Lynelle Kenned and Stefan Lombard
✅ Concert streaming dates: 5pm,Sunday May 24, 2020.
✅ Tickets:R100
✅ Direct booking link -South Africa: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/105040-still-the-soul-soars-live-stream-concert-with-lynelle-kenned-and-stefan-lombard/#/
✅ Direct booking link- international:Viewers out of South Africa –for international viewers -the link is: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/105062-still-the-soul-soars-live-stream-concert-with-lynelle-kenned-and-stefan-lombard/#/
✅ Duration of concert: One hour
✅ Line-up: Lynelle Kenned (voice) and Stefan Lombard (piano)
✅ Link details: Link goes live at 5pm, May 24 and is up for duration of the concert
✅ How it works: After purchasing your ticket, you will receive an e-mail with a link, which grants access to the show
✅ Access: Purchase your ticket and watch from 5pm-6pm on May 24. It will be streamed live, in real time. There is more. Watch it in real time and then rewind and watch again- all on one ticket purchase. How cool is that! The brilliant publicist, Allison Foat explains: “The show is available for 72 hours after the show and those who have purchased tickets can watch as many times as they’d like up until then. Tickets will also be on sale until midnight on Sunday May 24. Everyone who has bought tickets will get an email with the link about 30 minutes before the show starts.”
✅ Comments bar: There will there be a comments bar so that people can interact while watching
✅ Devices: Link will work on Windows/Apple/Android and other devices
✅ Internet speed advisory: If you have high speed internet, you should be fine. If necessary, use your smart phone as a hot spot and connect from there. It is the viewer’s responsibility to check on internet. Check your bandwidth
✅ Number of tickets on offer: The production house/film studio, Penny Lane Studios indicates that there is no limit to number of tickets sold. It says that it has had over ten thousand views on some of its shows. Notwithstanding a global internet crash, the technology is in place to make sure that everything goes smoothly
✅ What’s app helpline: Gayle on 072 070 7594
A note on ‘staging’ shows on the internet – and how TheCapeRobyn is approaching tech platforms
✳ Technology is flummoxing many of us. There are many ways of “staging” shows on the internet. As with a physical theatre space, you need to know what is on offer. What are the facilities? Is there assistance for hearing and physically impaired? How does it work? The same goes for shows staged via streaming. I am including this info in my coverage of streamed shows. Please ask questions and I will endeavour to get the answers. For instance, I think that it is important to have a customer contact what’s app number -in case there are questions while you are waiting for your download. The organisers have provided a contact for the concert on Sunday. Please see above. Gayle is her name. Artists like Lynelle and Stefan are cognizant that theatres are likely to be closed for a long time. They are staging – yes, I use that word – staging shows online – with the same attention to production values – lighting, design etc. And – this is essential- they want their audience to be able to access shows- without stress of worrying about downloading etc. They have a great publicist on board as well. That makes a big difference and facilitates the process of making access easy. Enjoy the concert on Sunday.
