Tribute To A Beautiful Lady by Dario Poli

Spain has been fortunate for British artist, author and composer Dario Poli, known to his contemporaries as the “Renaissance man.” For it was here that he found the inspiration to originate and produce one of his finest musical achievements “Lady X and The Power of Destiny” in a creative collaboration with Puerto Banus’s living legend Patrick Lloyd Hulme.

The musical drama, originally composed as a celebration of England’s favourite princess, based on the late Diana Princess of Wales. For the composers  it became a long mystical and spiritual journey, an exploration of Diana’s enigmatic character, her emotions, her motivations, and her fascination with the phenomenon of love. Their meticulous research into every facet of her life has resulted in a work, which has great profundity and truth to life, while acknowledging the gaiety and brilliance of a beautiful, if flawed aristocrat.

The project tells of Diana’s rise and fall, her golden yet tragic plight, in a sensitive and heartfelt piece of work that will stand the test of time, much as the light of her life will transcend the generations. Two men started a project, inspired by the muse, a project that tragically turned into a mission for the truth – to capture the innocence of her life and a light that was lost but never to be forgotten.
It was first registered in Marbella with S.G.A.E before her death; a tragedy, which galvanized the composers into re-writing almost the entire work and then re-registering the work in Malaga. The financial backers brought in by Dario, were fascinated by the quality of the music and story line, supported the composers enthusiasm and ideas, and the work was then legally constituted in Holland and Ireland.

With this funding the two men approached one of Britain’s leading musical professionals, the renowned musical director – David Redston – who, after studiously appraising their story, agreed to work with them on the project and conducted the orchestra and directed the numerous superb vocalists on the recording.

The musical drama was recorded by a symphony orchestra, opera singers and  including some singers from Riverdance at the famed Westland Studio Dublin.  These complex recordings and rehearsals, were directed by David Redston  following intensive rehearsals at RTE studios Dublin. It was produced by Richard Pine on the 11 September 2000, with Dario and Patrick in close attendance as advisors overseeing the work. It was engineered by Bob Somerville and was later mixed by David Redston and Bob Sommerville. Richard Pine: http://www.durrell-school-corfu.org/pine.htm

It is a powerful and imaginative, two-act fictional musical drama of a total 2 hrs 45 minutes duration, specifically produced by its creators, to explore the tumultuous life of Lady X, a beautiful aristocrat and her entangled loves. Drawing into focus the esoteric factor X, the irresistible power of destiny and its mysterious design, that inexorably acts throughout her life.

The drama intricately woven around her, expresses a gamut of emotions, containing a haunting sense of tragic premonition, which unfolds, as the complexity of her life and charisma is explored and skilfully brought to life, by the innovative story; the sensitive and incisive power of the music, words and musical arrangements.

The musical effect simply carries the songs from the hearts and minds of Dario Poli and Patrick Lloyd Hulme, into the heart and soul of the listener. The result of the collaboration between Dario and Patrick, David Redston, the orchestra and the vocalists is truly mesmerizing and can confidently be described as ‘touching and very beautiful’

Richard Pine wrote “…. the recording demonstrates…its emotional appeal, the immediate catchiness of its rhythms and lyrics,and the richness of the orchestral texture.” … “The jewel at the heart of the musical remains that what it had been from the outset, …a celebration of her life, beauty and demeanour.”

He continued on the CD cover of Diana  – “ The musical differs from other productions in its truth to life, its deep appreciation of the circumstances which combined to bring the aristocratic girl, Lady Diana Spencer, to the point where she became Diana, Princess of Wales, and beyond it to the divorce court, to disillusion and death. The unique selling proposition of the composers is its powerful combination of singable tunes and a haunting sense of premonition.

Dario wrote; the moral of their story is simply that, “what we say and do to other people effects and shapes their lives, whether for good or bad. Therefore, each individual has his or her own personal responsibility to manage their actions towards others”. This becomes very clear in the final moments of the Opera.

Fonds de Parrainage National, Haiti

This private initiative founded by Dr. Antoine Levelt enables 75 deprived children in the coastal town of Gonaives, Haiti to have access to quality education. The sponsored children receive school uniforms, school kits and after school support. This was done all under transparent and witnessed conditions involving the community  that was supported by other financial sources to improve the environment and infrastructure.

Dr Levelt seeks to provide a vehicle through which Haiti’s most vulnerable children can be supported. The FPN programme expands or contracts depending on funding.  For 2010: 70 euro = one school year.

They have been helped by the international community during the post-earthquake period and are now facing a challenging long reconstruction phase. Athough the situation remains critical,  we have to look forward and continue the  efforts to offer a brighter future to the next generation in Haiti, the key to this is to invest in long-term projects aiming at a sustainable development, one of the pillars being EDUCATION.

Le Fonds de Parrainage National, a non-profit, apolitical and legally registered foundation, is a private sector initiative. It was set up as a national effort to attain universal education as rapidly as possible. The foundation aims at providing quality education for most deprived children; it is increasing access, retention and achievement for poor children in selected schools.

In addition to our sponsorship program supported mainly by the Haitian private sector, we are managing a UNICEF project. Its goal is to have children back to school in Gonaives where in September 2004 more than 1,500 people died during the floods caused by Hurricane Jeanne. We are also managing a scholarship program for 13,500 children funded by USAID.

Project Personnel
Antoine LEVELT – Executive Director

Fifty-six years old, Mr. Levelt has an engineer diploma awarded by the National Polytechnical Institute of Grenoble in France, one the French Grande Ecole. From 1979 to 1991, Mr. Levelt was the Senior Administrative Assistant of the UNDP/UNESCO Education projects in Haiti. He is the Executive Director of the Foundation since its creation in 1992.

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