Bravissimo!

"Bravissimo - tutti soprani e alti e tenori e bassi! 

It’s over 40 years since I sang the “little solemn mass” and this evening I (silently) sang along with you. 

The choir positively danced the fugue – what a delight to see and hear. Many thanks for a memorable performance." 

Russell (a friend of Lynn Dowsett, soprano)


And via text message from a keen supporter and friend, to Deborah: “Great performance, thank you so much!”.

Wow!!! That sounded good from where we stood. And the audience applauded with enthusiasm. If you were there, what did you think of the Petite Messe Solennelle performance?

And here is Marian's review for the ODT, published on Monday 1 October:

"...the clamour of "Cum Sancto Spiritu" in which all voices vie for prominence, the energy in "Credo", the triumph in "Et Resurrexit"and the exuberance of "Sanctus" were all successfully infectuous."

Congratulations and thank you to our brilliant soloists, accompanist and conductor!

Petite Messe Solenelle on 29 September

Our next concert: Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle

Saturday 29 September, 7:30pm at
Knox Church

City of Dunedin Choir and soloists present Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle with accompaniment on two pianos and organ, conducted by David Burchell. We look forward to performing with our favourite artists:

Emma Fraser - soprano, Amanda Cole - Mezzo-soprano, Matthew Wilson - tenor, Julien van Mellaerts - bass
Pianists: John van Buskirk and Sandra Crawshaw
Organist: Simon Mace

Rossini, the 19th century Italian composer, was known for his sense of humour. So it is that his Petite Messe Solennelle is neither little, nor solemn. Although of a sacred nature, it is unmistakably operatic in style, abounding in memorable tunes and rhythmic vitality. It is an elegant and refined work. 

Tickets are on sale now, available from:

Beggs MusicWorks, Lower Stuart Street

or

Knox Church Office

or

Phone Clare (03) 476 2426
or at the door on Saturday

Adults $30, Unwaged $20, Students with ID $10

Accompanied school children enter free. Cash or cheque only.

Exchange your admission voucher for a concert programme at the door.

Chilling story brilliantly told

'Chilling story brilliantly told' - the heading of the review in the Otago Daily Times (ODT, 10 Sep 2012). Congratulations to all involved! The journey was completed...special mention to John Drummond (composer), Simon Over (conductor), Jeremy Commons (narrative text), Claire Beynon (poet), our soloists, City of Dunedin Choir and Southern Sinfonia. Well done to all...

A good sized audience gave a prolonged and profound applause for the world première of John Drummond's The Journey Home directed by Simon Over with guests - soprano Jenny Wollerman, tenor James Rodgers, baritone Robert Tucker (Scott) and the City of Dunedin Choir.

Drummond's oratorio is an extremely effective tale of Scott's ill-fated voyage home which starts with Scott's utter despair at finding Amundsen had beaten him to the Pole. The opening bars clearly define the dreadful chill of the Antarctic and the trudging trek homewards of the defeated explorers.
Overall the work is brilliant - encouraging great performances from all. Jeremy Commons' libretto uses Scott's own diary, poems by Claire Beynon, Bill Manhire and Chris Orsman and excerpts from the Common Book of Prayer.

Drummond's alternation of full orchestra, solo instruments and unaccompanied singing dramatize the story beautifully. Though there were some weaknesses, they are far outweighed by the work's strengths. Special mention goes to Rodgers and Wollerman's "As If", the staggered lines of choir and Turner in "There is Always a Blizzard", the icy strings counterbalancing Scott's acceptance of ultimate defeat in "The Ice is Cruel" and Wollerman and Choir in "In this Place" where the muttering of the Lord's Prayer in Latin provided an excellent voice to the encroaching fates.

The Journey Home is a seriously excellent work and a powerful piece of drama which the nation can be proud of.

Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio Italien" was suitably exuberant and excellently performed by the Southern Sinfonia. It served to diffuse the doom contained in The Journey Home.

Stravinsky's "Firebird" is also a strongly evocative work excellently performed and directed with precision and inspiration to the clear enjoyment of all.

The evening highlighted all aspects of the art involved with orchestral works and their performance and marks a significant achievement. Bravo to one and all.

Reviewed by Marian Poole for the Otago Daily Times, Monday, 10 September 2012.

Tales of Ice and Fire

Tales of Ice & Fire

presented by Southern Sinfonia

Saturday 8 September 2012, 8:00 pm
Regent Theatre, Dunedin, New Zealand

with City of Dunedin Choir and Soloists

The Journey Home tells the tale of Scott's ill-fated Antarctic expedition, and this world première performance marks the tragedy's centenary... Read more about the Tales of Ice & Fire concert...
Tickets are on sale now!

Rehearsing with Simon Over

Conductor, Simon Over

What a wonderful rehearsal with conductor Simon Over yesterday afternoon! 

He has quite a way with words when describing to the choir the effect he's looking for, like: 

"sing with monastic clarity, not operatic" 

and for that long phrase, sustain the legato 

"like a washing line with pegs on it". 

John Drummond, composer, was there too and he seems happy with the choir's sound. Don't miss "The Journey Home" next Saturday 8 September, at the Regent Theatre
http://www.ticketdirect.co.nz/Event/Details/49621

This is a work with punch to the guts and it brings goose-bumps to the skin!