Adie Vanessa Offiong
22 November 2008
The Abuja Metropolitan Music Society (AMEMUSO) an initiative of Mrs. Maria Cecilia Toledo de Schmillen penultimate Friday reenacted the fact that music is indeed a universal language. Before an audience comprising the representative of the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar'Adua, Mrs. Mary Odeh wife of the Information Minister, Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation,
Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, ex-Senate President, Pius Anyim, Honourable Tunde Akogun and the Diplomatic community this year's edition of Operabuja entitled Rejoice Nigeria glued guests to their seats. In conjunction with Transcorp Hilton, Diamond Bank, the German and French Embassies, AMEMUSO mesmerised audiences with tingling voices like those of Omo Bello, Maria Cecilia Toledo de Schmillen, Marculs Ullman and Kehinde Oretimehin as they also left them yearning for more even after the show had ended.
The evening started with the National Anthem which was heralded by the piercing but melodic sound of Ehigie Nosakhare's trumpet with an amiable body pose to go with it as well as the angelicvoices of children from the Rochas Foundation. There was almost no difference between this version of the National Anthem and Handel's Hallelujah chorus.
Then came the subtle yet remarkable performance by Marculs Ullman ending each tune which such sobriety, leaving the audience in a very calm and peaceful state.
This was followed by the shrilling voice of young Nigerian Opera, Omo Bello which jutted listeners back to life and brought down a rain of thundering standing ovation from the entire crowd with eyes wide open in surprise and admiration as if to say 'is she really Nigerian?' The audacity of Omo Bello on stage and the confidence, with which she delivered each tune as she cooed the audience, swirled each heart present.
The renditions by Maria Cecilia Toledo de Schmillen who had the most performances for the night were stunning. She further impressed the audience in her traditional Ibo attire as she performed Nuria Africa in Igbo Language.
Kehinde Oretimehin made an opera of Bami wo lawoye which he rendered with firmness and strength. As he dramatised each song it was impossible to miss the message being delivered.
The evening was further elated by the duet of Omo Bello and Maria Cecilia Toledo de Schmillen of the Meow. Mimicking the cat sound, they got the audience laughing tears out.
A major surprise tonic ended the performances with a guest performance by Olu Maintain.
Prince Adetokunbo Kayode expressed the need for Nigerians to encourage creativity as, "the spirit that drives opera music and the entire enterprise has been domesticated in Nigeria and I hopex that the idea would be captured with every sense of encouragement.
As regards establishing a more concrete structure for AMEMUSO, he said, "A complex that will meet the requirement of the group should be on ground and this will lay the foundation for Abuja as the Centre of Arts and Culture." He commended the good product of the organisers, especially the founder of the group and all, who collaborated with her, while expressing optimism that the tempo would be sustained.
Climaxing the day was his presentation of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to the group for a plot of land earlier approved by the ex-Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo. Also at the concert was the Managing Director, Transcorp Hilton, Mr. Andre Herrenshmidt, who commented on Transcorp's relationship with artists as the essence of their organisation - "a meeting point where the artist world meets with the business and political worlds and artist community is as important as the business and political communities and I think Omo Bello has the right place here at the Hilton Abuja and whenever she will like to come to Nigeria, she will always be welcomed."
Speaking on the rapport between AMEMUSO and Transcorp Hilton, Mr. Shola Adeyemo, Public Relations Officer stated that, "Transcorp Hilton is a proud partner of AMEMUSO. Apart from having a representative on the Board of Trustees of AMEMUSO, it identifies with the Society's quest to build a Music School in the city of Abuja. In line with the Hilton's commitment to the development of talents, we will continue to provide a platform for talents to be discovered and nurtured to stardom. Operabuja has provided a unique opportunity for Nigerians to display their talents before an appreciative audience".
The AMEMUSO Choir is a group of talented Nigerian singers who have worked for more than one year, studying a crossover repertoire from Nigerian traditional music to classical opera. "The AMEMUSO" Toledo informed, "is for every Nigerian who wants to study in a good music school and not just for opera. She added that, "the short, medium and long term dreams and objectives of having an annual concert, master vocal classes by international vocal teachers as well as conducting of series of opera concerts in Nigeria to afford talented Nigerian artists the opportunity and platform to showcase their talents, are gradually being fulfilled."
Indeed the night reflected her theme centred on the butterfly. The stage adorned with a backdrop of Abuja cityscape, the lighting which gave off hues reflected the many beauties and attributes of the butterfly. Leaving guests thrilled and in great commendation for the night were the bellowing cheeks of the trumpeter, the intensity yet nimble stroking of the keyboards by the fingers of the pianists Bertille Monsellier (Paris) and Okafor Abednego Obumnem, the flexibility and rhythmic movement of Samuel C. Ezegwu the conductor and the smiling faces of the choristers.
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