{"id":9936,"date":"2024-03-13T19:39:02","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T18:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/?p=9936"},"modified":"2025-11-30T11:49:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T10:49:30","slug":"magoria-hollingsworth-mansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/cd-recensie\/magoria-hollingsworth-mansion\/","title":{"rendered":"Magoria- Hollingsworth Mansion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The story behind the new rock opera ‘Hollingsworth Mansion’ is extraordinary: In 1808, the Hollingsworth family died because their stand-alone house burned down. After restoration, the property was residenced by several families. In 1931 the Welbourne family moved in. It should have been a beautiful new beginning\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand the story, it is important to know characters.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lavinia Eden-Hollingsworth (played by Maria Catherine)
Jefferso Hollingsworth (played by Rodney Blaze)
Elizabet Hollingsworth, mother of Jefferso (played by Cindy Oudshoorn)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dolores Welbourne (played by Nadine Pruim)
Howard Welbourne (played by Jan Willem Ketelaers )
Joanne Welbourne, daughter of Dolores and Howard (Demi Oosterwaal)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gardener\/handyman William Harris (played by Edward Reekers)
Maid Selina Blackaby (played by Inge Rijnja)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the instrumental ‘The Haunted House’, you can feel that a lot is about to happen. In ‘New Estate’, the Welbourne couple are confidently looking to the future. Vocal and instrumental sections alternate. The creaking sound of a door, classical choral singing and orchestral music strengthen the rock\/metal opera. Elizabet Hollingsworth warns Joanne Welbourne in ‘Don’t Open The Gate’: the house is a gateway to the spirit world. Lavinia Hollingsworth intends Howard Welbourne to kill his daughter and himself. At times, Lavinia’s voice has a mean tone. The rock\/metal track’ Diamond In The Dark’ ends with light classical elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young-looking Selina Blackaby is 200 years old, residing in the living world. She tries to keep the inhabitants away from the spirit world. Selina, William and Elizabet sing about the secrets of the house. The voices together form a beautiful blend. Whispered words add intensity. In ‘What Do They Want From Me’, Dolores Welbourne notices some strange things happening. Moreover, Howard is behaving very strangely. Again, William warns the family in this lovely, rather quiet track. William’s spoken words in ‘The House Of No One At All’ are supported\/interchanged with suitable sampling and\/or (cinematic) music. Lavinia is in love with Howard. ‘Enter The Twilight World’ starts instrumentally, with (several layers of) beautiful guitar playing. You can hear the anger in Jefferso’s voice. Joanne is welcome but Howard definitely isn’t. Dolores is desperate, she sings ‘I Can’t Restrain Her Anymore’ with a bright voice. Her husband seems to be possessed. You can hear the different emotions of the characters. During an instrumental (rock\/metal) piece, the tempo is quite fast. The emotion on the vocals at the end is touching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of the words, and the way Howard sings ‘When Our Time Will Come’, you realise he is not afraid of what he is about to do. Also ‘Leave Us’ the vocals go against each other at times. At times, there’s quite a lot coming at you, but it’s never too much. The slightly classical ending is calm; ‘The Time Has Come’ has a metal start. Howard’s voice sounds determined: he poisons Joanne. Then he gets out of life, to be with Lavinia forever. Dolores has saved Joanne’s life, Lavinia is furious. Without Joanne, there is no place for Howard. This becomes clear in ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’. The song seems to end, but there is a special twist. Joanne and her mother have moved house. In ‘Die For The Love Of Your Life’, Joanne is visited at night by a ghost again: her father, as Lavinia keeps the gate to the spirit world closed. The characters appear one more time. You feel the story is about to end. With the instrumental, classically set ‘Postludium’, this rock opera ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sound of the cymbals is sometimes too shrill, everything else is warm in tone. To understand the extraordinary story correctly, you need the lyrics booklet. Joanne does not sing solo. On the one hand, understandable, but a younger voice could have made the story even more lively. The combination\/exchange between rock\/metal and orchestral elements is fine. The (stacked) vocals are very good, instrumentally everything is sublime. That’s why Hollingsworth Mansion is a very good rock opera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(94\/100) (V2 Records<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social media<\/strong>:
Facebook: Magoria <\/a>
Website: Magoria<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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