Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Nancy Rumbel and Eric Tingstad entertain the audience with an eclectic mix of music.
A. J. Floyd assists the musicians with a door prize drawing. Several of the duo's CDs were given to audience members.
Nancy Rumbel and Eric Tingstad entertain the audience with an eclectic mix of music.
A. J. Floyd assists the musicians with a door prize drawing. Several of the duo's CDs were given to audience members.
Nancy Rumbel and Eric Tingstad entertain the audience with an eclectic mix of music.
A. J. Floyd assists the musicians with a door prize drawing. Several of the duo's CDs were given to audience members.
Friday night’s Tingstad and Rumbel concert at the Harrington Opera House drew a very good crowd, but the crowd was nothing to compare with the quality of the performance.
Polished, professional and yet comfortable, Nancy Rumbel and Eric Tingstad, a Seattle-based duo, provided a selection of acoustic music. Unusual treatments of well-known songs such as “Summertime,” “Over the Rainbow” and “Crying” were mixed with original compositions.
Tingstad, an accomplished guitarist, played one solo after the break, a piece featuring “flamenco styling on an Edvard Grieg composition.” It was astonishing.
Rumbel switched from oboe and English horn to ocarina smoothly and effectively, haunting in one piece and sprightly in the next.
Tingstad and Rumbel began their collaboration in 1985 with the release of “The Gift”, a holiday album. In the 26 years since, they have released 18 more albums, with another on the way. “Acoustic Garden” won a 2002 Grammy award in the New Age category. They perform as many as 50 concerts per year and have a loyal following.
That following was partly responsible for the crowd at Friday’s concert. When Rumbel asked how many people were from Spokane, quite a few hands went into the air.
The music was wonderful, and the long-standing association of the performers was apparent. One would think that a limited number of instruments might lead to a limited repertoire, but it was not so. From a Chinese lullaby to “Spring Maiden,” a traditional Korean song, to the audience singing along to “Runaway,” the performance held listeners in rapt attention.
The concert was part of the Harrington Opera House Society’s ongoing efforts to continue the renovation of the historic building. The current project is to install an elevator to make the upstairs venue more accessible.
The Opera House is becoming, step by step, an enviable site for concerts, weddings and other special occasions. The lobby has an historic aura about it, and the staircase to the upstairs auditorium is beautiful, but a bit difficult for some to navigate. The hall itself, while not complete, has marvelous acoustics and a very good new sound system.
Saturday, December 3, will see a visit from Santa, who will be available for requests and photos from 10 a.m. until noon. That evening at 5:30, “A Little Taste of Christmas,” a benefit dance recital, will be performed by the Davenport Dance Academy.
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