Internationally renowned Soprano Penny Pavlakis tells OUTinPerth what made her decide to set up a touring show featuring ten soprano singers.
“I was overseas touring many years ago, about nine years ago, and of course the Ten Tenors were just huge both overseas and in Australia, and I thought why not ten Sopranos! The rest is history.” Pavlakis declared.
Since setting up the show the team has being touring the globe and made several trips to Perth. The show features many well known and love songs. Pavlakis said the way the Ten Sopranos deliver the songs make them something special.
“Our troupe is known for the true crossover vocal delivery, in saying that, I think its unmatched anywhere in the world. It’s a unique vocal delivery fusing the contemporary with the classical.”
Pavlakis has had many highlights in her professional career having worked with such luminaries as Dame Joan Sutherland, Baz Luhrmann and Nick Enright but creating her own show with nine other Sopranos has allowed her to tour the globe several times.
One well known song that the troupe sing is Peter Allen’s ‘Don’t Cry Out Loud’, a song which when first released was a mellow laid back number, but over the years has become a super power ballad. Pavlakis said when the Ten Soprano’s deliver the tune they definitely turn it into a power ballad.
“It’s was on our first CD and people love the way that we sing it. Its a new arrangement that was arranged by the maestro, the late Tommy Tyco, people love it everywhere we’ve performed it.
“Our take on the tune is not invasive, but it’s powerful.” Pavlakis said. ‘it’s very feminine its delivery.”
Pavalkis said the groups ability to combine classical and contemporary elements is unique both here in Australia and overseas.
“People leave with such a spiritual experience, we’re proud of that because it means we’re touching people. Wherever we perform there’s always a plethora of people that we tough.”
For young people wanting to get into a signing career Pavlakis said good vocal training is essential.
“You have to have proper vocal training, and that will ensure you don’t lose your voice by the time your thirty, and you need to be a true performer and not run after the gimmicks and the fast fame.”
Pavlakis said the wide number of reality shows for singers doesn’t really let people develop as performers.
“You need to pay your dues,” Pavlakis said, “that journey is where the development happens, singing is about signing about life and your emotional experiences of life.”
Pavlakis described the singer’s in The Ten Sopranos as a talented bunch who have all worked hard to develop their skills; “They sing with truth, that what makes them perform so well”.
The Ten Sopranos play The Astor Theatre on Friday 25th September.
