Operatic bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu and classical pianist Malcolm Martineau make a truly engaging double act. To say Martineau 'accompanies' Lemalu would be doing the piano player a disservice. In this performance the two musicians worked together so superbly that it would be hard to say one took precedence over the other. Martineau’s intuitive playing seemed to enhance and inspire every note offered by Lemalu.

A New Zealand-born Samoan, Lemalu is a rising star in the operatic firmament. His powerful and captivating voice is warm with rich texture and a gentle timbre. Still only in his early 30s, Lemalu can only go on to greater performances as he matures.

Acclaimed pianist Malcolm Martineau is renowned with audiences and critics alike for his performances with leading artists around the world. His precision and virtuosity are highlighted by his theatricality and obvious love of each piece he plays. At times his fingers hover above the keyboard in anticipation of the next note, just waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting key.

This concert was the concluding recital of last week’s Adelaide Conference of Accompanists and Associate Artists and was an Australian exclusive, much to the delight of the appreciative Elder Hall audience. The diverse program included many well-known art songs and arias from the 19th and 20th centuries. The concert opened with Schubert, moved on to Brahms and then dallied for a while with Duparc.

After the interval, Poulenc’s delightful tales of French village life amused the audience and allowed Lemalu to show his playful side. Richard Rodney Bennett’s nursery rhymes were an unexpected inclusion and just perfect for a sunny Sunday afternoon. A quick tour through Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Verdi completed a wonderful recital. Elder Hall, June 1.