Dunedin
One hundred and fifty years
and
many
reincarnations
later, the
City
Choir
Dunedin might
deserve
a
less
backhanded
tribute
from
the
Dunedin City Council but,
as
one
reflection
of
the
city,
endures
as
a
powerful
statement
of
European
culture
in
Aotearoa
New
Zealand.
Their
celebration
of
this
feat
was
greatly
enhanced
by
joining
forces
with
the NZSO
under
the
direction
of
Pietari
Inkinen.
The
excellence
of
the
performance
was
not
lost
on
the
crowded
house, which
gave
thunderous
prolonged
applause
with
shouts
and
stamping
feet
as
if
to
crack
the Dunedin Town
Hall’s
floorboards.
Verdi’s
Requiem
is
an
astonishingly
unnerving
work, replete
with
the
mystery
and
Christian
fear
of
death.
Rising
from
the
murky
quiet
of
“Kyrie”,
“Dies Irae”
[The
Wrath
of
God]
unleashes
a
doomsday
thunder.
Siren
screams
and
the
tight
trills
of
Satan’s
seduction
illustrate
what
awaits
the
dying. Although
there
are
occasional
lighter
moments
in
“Sanctus”, a
statement
of
piety,
“Agnus
Dei”
[Lamb
of
God]
and
“Lux
Eterna”
[Eternal Light],
this
is
a
grim
work
of
highly
gothic
Romanticism.
It
revels
in
beautiful
terror
and
has
intensely
chilling
power.
Put
briefly,
it
is
a
highly
successful
expression
of
the
cruelty
of
human
mortality.
All
sections
of
Orchestra
and
Choir
were
notable
for
the
supreme
dedication
to
creating
an
excellent
performance, although
some
the
Choir’s
fugal
passages
would
have
gained
more
moment
through
a
greater
show
of
confidence.
The soloists,
soprano
Lisa
Harper-Brown,
mezzo-soprano
Margaret
Medlyn,
tenor
Rosario
La
Spina
and
bass
Judd
Arthur
produced
some
spell-binding,
delicate
and
blockbuster
moments.
Special
mention
has
to
go
to
the
impeccably
beautiful
ensemble
work
in
“Lacrimosa”
[Weeping], Harper-Brown
and
Medlyn’s
truly
glorious
duet
“Recordare”
[Remember]
and
to
Harper-Brown’s
dramatically
compelling
“Libera
Me”
[Deliver Me].
One
wonders
what
else
we
can
expect
from
future
collaborations
between
the
imperial
forces
of
the
NZSO
and
City
Choir
Dunedin.
Review by Marian Poole, Otago Daily Times, 28 June 2013.
Verdi Requiem, 27 June 2013, Dunedin Town Hall.
NZSO with City Choir Dunedin, conducted by Pietari Inkinen
Audience comments:
'Absolutely spine-tingling'
'I've never sat so still for so long, it was riveting'
'Brilliant and amazing!'
'Thank you that was fantastic. You are lucky being able to do it all again.'
'Watched everything closely, you guys never missed a step.'
'Electrifying concert last night in Dunedin everyone!! Well done!!'
'Thoroughly wonderful evening. Kind regards and my commendations to all in your "Big Sing" hearts and minds in harmony...'
"
'Requiem' by NZSO, city choir wonderful" - reads the headline of the Civis column in the ODT on Saturday 6 July. "Last week's performance of Verdi's 'Requiem' by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and City Choir Dunedin was outstanding: dramatic and exciting for a large audience... And there was an eerie sensation when trumpets sounded from the door just behind us, answering those in the opposite circle doorway, and in the orchestra. The performance was deeply moving, and a magnificent way to celebrate the choir's sesquicentennial. Congratulations to the choir, and to David Burchell, its Director."
And here's
another report, this time by Mike Crowl, who also enjoyed the Dunedin performance.
Were you there? What did you think of the performance? Leave a comment here or send us an email to
info@citychoirdunedin.org.nz - we'd love to hear from you!
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