Symphonicity: 2010/11

Sting and his "Symphonicities" at the Geneva Arena...

At a time when new music is filled with the most electronic sounds, Sting returns to the forefront with an album of trendy classical music covers. Last Sunday, the English artist presented this opus, simply titled "Symphonicities," at the Geneva Arena.

The show began around 7 p.m. At first, the audience was left with everything to be somewhat impressed: the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra entered, followed by Sting. This is where what would prove to be a two-hour race between musical beauty and tinge of boredom began. While the project by the lead singer of the English band The Police was convincing with its beautiful arrangements, staging, and visual effects, it was unfortunately not perfect. Like a roller coaster, the Orchestra and Sting took us to both mind-blowing and less exciting moments. This was mainly due to the length of the concert and the presence of certain pieces that seemed to be there to fill the time. But let's not panic, because overall, students.ch enjoyed a wonderful evening.

Because yes, despite the few moments of respite, Sting made an impression on the audience last Sunday. First of all, his choice of repertoire. There's no mystery: one of the ingredients of a concert that delights the crowd is a selection of songs that meet its expectations. From "Shape of My Heart" to "Every Breath You Take" and "Englishman in New York," all of his greatest hits were present. But it was especially during "Roxanne" that the emotion was at its peak and the beauty of the Orchestra was truly showcased. In a different vein, Sting also performed "Desert Rose," a piece with oriental hues originally sung with Algerian musician Cheb Mami. In this cover, the combination of classical and oriental ambiances was achieved with subtlety and a seductive sweetness that delighted the Geneva audience.

Sting dared to undertake a bold project. Without going overboard or diminishing the emotion of his repertoire, he offered a pleasant evening, even if it dragged on a bit. At the end of the concert, the audience gave the English singer a taste of his own medicine, giving him standing ovations on several occasions, commensurate with his career.

© Students.ch