Otago Girls' Auditorium
Wednesday, October 10
Paganini dragged into Glam Rock, Mozart come back down to earth as David Bowie and Gareth Farr uniquely united with Lilith are all signs along the road of Hahn-Bin's own rebirth.
Wow factors include the almost obligatory dry ice, and, more inventively, theatrical lighting, a table and chair at which Leopold reclines, bottle of wine, cloaks and roses, and more importantly a classical musician who almost dances.
Theatrical moves such as falling to the floor (but always rising again), sitting on the piano, flashing eyes, using the violin bow as a lightning rod or a devil's whip and striking frozen poses are the stuff of a true entertainer.
Though different, the personas of Hahn-Bin and of Or Matias, his brilliant pianist dressed in Transylvanian rags, have a proud lineage, and their queer union with classical music makes this no ordinary show.
Both had the audience of both young and old enthralled right from the beginning and true devotees by the end of the third encore.
One might quibble that Hahn Bin's repertoire did not reflect much of his apparent rebirth as Amadeus Leopold and that without a change in costume from black and white drapery to shirt and trousers in a kaleidoscope of pattern and colour, we might not have noticed or even been the worse off.
Both stage personas delved into Victorian, lush romanticism and virtuosic pyrotechnics music ideally suited to being camped up without loss of musicality or integrity.
Leopold did, however, venture as far as Ravel, West Side Story, Over the Rainbow and some blues.
His repertoire is all tried and true and fails to test the senses other than being astonishingly well played.
Whether the show is to be taken seriously or not, the music is and could signal a revitalisation of classic repertoire for a new audience.
- Marion Poole
