Venice, Sting's magical evening...
The 'Symphonicity' tour sold out everywhere, in San Marco with the Fenice Philharmonic Orchestra. The singer addresses the audience in Italian. The acoustic performance of 'Message in a Bottle' sends shivers down the spine.
"Good evening everyone, I'm happy to be in Piazza San Marco for the first time, and I'm very proud to have the Fenice Philharmonic Orchestra behind me." In Sting's eyes, eyes that have seen immense audiences and extraordinary seats in nearly 35 live performances, there's a mixture of genuine satisfaction and serenity when he takes the stage in Venice. The first surprise is that throughout the evening he will strive to speak only in Italian, perhaps not perfect, but a gesture of humility that other international superstars would not have had. Every seat and every sector is sold out. Over 5,000 people from the region (including many from abroad) flocked to the Venice date of the Symphonicity Tour, part of the Venice Jazz Festival (Veneto Jazz). The semi-dome enclosing the stage seems tailor-made for a symphonic concert, and by the time the band—comprising Dominic Miller (Sting's long-time guitarist), Rhani Krija (percussionist), Jo Lawry (vocals), and Ira Coleman (bass)—enters, the 50-piece Filarmonica della Fenice Orchestra is already seated.
Then comes conductor Sarah Hicks, and finally Sting. The opening is "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," a huge hit by the Police, followed by "Englishman in New York," the pinnacle of his solo career, performed with Alessandro Fantini, principal clarinet at La Fenice. "Roxanne," another great Police song, and "When We Dance," "Russians," to which the orchestral arrangements lend a regal majesty. Orchestral tours in the pop world often offer nothing more than a flurry of strings to open the sound of classic songs. Fortunately, the "Symphonicity Tour" is not one of these tours. The symphonic arrangements of the Police hits and Sting's solo career are flawless, elaborate, and refined. The songs are never distorted; the full orchestra plays, and I assure you, this is a first in this field. At times, the orchestra is a comfortable silk cushion on which Sting's (still flawless) voice thrives; at other times, it sews new (always elegant) garments onto historic melodies; at others, it imbues the songs with a new solemnity. The high water begins to rise, and several people in the side sections are forced to stand up to avoid spending the concert with their feet in the water.
After 'I Hung My Head,' Sting recounts: "When I was about to finish school, my father told me 'take to the sea,' and I asked him why, but he didn't answer. This song is dedicated to him." He begins an emotional 'Why Should I Cry For You.' 'Whenever I Say Your Name' becomes a dialogue between the two with backing vocalist Jo Lawry, then 'Fields of Gold' and the surprise. 'Here with me today is Joe Sumner, the leader of a rock band and... my son.'" Then Joe (vocalist for Fiction Plane) enters, sings 'Two Sisters' and hugs his dad. The boy, a true father, stays on stage, guitar in hand, for The Police's 'Next to You,' which retains that rock vibe (Sting wears tight dark trousers and a Mod jacket over a dark shirt) and gets the audience dancing too. 'Shape of My Heart' and 'This Cowboy Song' come through again, complete with a country dance routine. "It's about a vampire," says Sting, changing into a Transylvanian trench coat, and "Moon Over Bourbon Street" could be the soundtrack to a horror film (it's inspired by Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, after all). The finale kicks off with "The End of the Game" and opens with "King of Pain" and "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. Needless to say, the entire audience is on their feet, right in front of the stage. The encores, with a double performance from the band, explore the Orient of "Desert Rose," then move on to "She's Too Good For Me" and "Fragile," and close with "Message in a Bottle," played acoustically by Sting alone. "Thank you, Venice," he bows to the audience. The live season ended on a high note.
(c) Corriere del Veneto by Francesco Verni
Sting's triumphant concert in Piazza San Marco in Venice, with his son Joe also on stage...
There are concerts that remain etched in the memories of spectators who, sooner or later, will be able to say with a hint of pride, "I was there." The Venice leg of Sting's Symphonicity Tour, organized as part of the fourth edition of the Venice Jazz Festival, undoubtedly ranks among the most memorable events for all music fans.
The stage set up in Piazza San Marco welcomed the English singer in a unique and evocative location that made the atmosphere even more magical. And with a touch of magic from "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," Sting began the second Italian leg of the 2011 Symphonicity Tour, following the one in Palermo on July 27.
The symphonic arrangements of the songs were performed to perfection by the Orchestra Filarmonica della Fenice, conducted by Sarah Hicks; Also on stage were guitarist Dominic Miller, percussionist Rhani Krija, bassist Ira Coleman and the splendid voice of singer Jo Lawry.
Sting greeted the audience, expressing his joy and pride at being able to perform in Venice before singing, to a thunderous applause, the now-classics "Englishman in New York," "Roxanne," "When We Dance," and the ever-present "Russians." He then performed "I Hung My Head" and "Why Should I Cry For You?", a song Sting dedicated to his father, recounting, in perfect Italian with a slight British accent, how as a young man, he had told him, "When you finish school, you have to get on a ship, become a sailor." This family moment preceded, by a couple of songs ("Whenever I Say Your Name" and "Fields of Gold"), the surprise arrival of Sting's son, Joe Sumner, who performed "Two Sisters," a song by his band Fiction Plane, accompanied on backing vocals by his father, from whom he inherited his talent, physical appearance, and unique vocal timbre.
The journey into Sting's musical world then continued with an alternation of different rhythms and atmospheres: 'Next To You', the emotional 'Shape Of My Heart', the driving 'This Cowboy Song', the almost "dark" 'Moon Over Bourbon Street', the melancholic 'End Of The Game', and 'King Of Pain'.
The final part of the concert was dedicated to the greatest hits of his career, both with the Police and as a solo artist, including songs perhaps most beloved and well-known by fans and beyond: "Every Breath You Take," "Desert Rose," and "She's Too Good For Me." The final two songs, "Fragile" and "Message in a Bottle," were greeted with a standing ovation from the entire audience, who were now on their feet and in the audience's audience, applauding Sting's performance.
Venice provided a splendid setting for a musical event that truly showcased Sting's musical soul.
(c) New Notizie by Beatrice Pagan
Venice: Ten thousand fans ecstatic for Sting in St. Mark's Square...
Ten thousand for Sting tonight in St. Mark's Square in Venice. Five thousand were seated - and then stood in excitement - in front of the stage set up in front of the Basilica Marzana, with the same number standing in the deep water under the Procuratie and on the churchyard. Everyone sang along to his songs, huddling around the stage at the finale. Sting, the composer of the unofficial but universally recognized anthem of Perestroika, which changed the balance of power in the world, performed "Russians" masterfully. Accompanied by the 50-piece La Fenice Philharmonic Orchestra and his band, conducted by the brilliant Sara Hicks.
The overture to "Russians" underscored the song's artistic and historical power, followed by the first standing ovation. "Mr. Reagan says: we will protect you," sings the former Policeman. "It's a lie we don't believe anymore. Believe what I tell you: I hope the Russians love their children too." Perhaps today it's enough to replace Russians with Chinese; the song is still relevant. The concert began with "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," and continued with "Englishman in New York." "I'm happy to be in St. Mark's Square. Because behind me is the Fenice Orchestra." The British singer-songwriter exalted and brought to the forefront each of his musicians, from guitarist Dominic Miller to percussionist Rhani Krija, to Jo Lawry (vocals) and Ira Coleman (bass).
Special guest was his son Joe Sumner, who performed "Two Sisters." The audience began to rise to their feet. Moving from symphonic reinterpretations of his pop and jazz to the folk and contaminated classical music that distinguishes him, Sting gradually drew the crowd into applause. The former Police member's vocal virtuosity was evident in "Moon Over Bourbon Street," where, dressed in black, he incarnated as a vampire. The high water in Piazza San Marco reached 80-90 centimetres just before 11 p.m., when the audience was already in raptures. Then, it happened that Sting simply played and, having abandoned his chairs, sang below the audience. A magical event, one of the most liberating to have ever taken place in Venice. Finally, the singer threw a red flower to the audience in thanks, while they continued to ask for an encore.
(c) L'Unione Sarda