Cowichan Consort presents Mozart

Mozart’s Requiem, Ave Verum Corpus, and Jupiter Symphony No. 41 will fill the Christian Reformed Church with fabulous music

Conductor Robert Mari

Conductor Robert Mari

Mozart’s Requiem, Ave Verum Corpus, and Jupiter Symphony No. 41 will fill the Christian Reformed Church with fabulous music Saturday, Feb. 20 as the Cowichan Consort Orchestra and Choir presents a blockbuster concert starting at 7:30 p.m.

Featured soloists are Sarah Vardy, soprano, Anna Tamm-Relyea, mezzo-soprano, Ted Rhodes, tenor, and Gary Relyea, bass.

The internationally known Relyeas were also featured in last year’s Consort presentation, Elijah. Both have semi-retired from their busy operatic and teaching careers to Victoria.

Rhodes, who is from the Valley, will join them on stage again this time and Vardy will arrive from a busy opera/vocal schedule off the Island, performing for the first time with the Consort.

Mozart’s Requiem was featured in the movie Amadeus and is a stirring piece that Mozart wrote near the end of his life. There is a mystery to its finishing touches as Mozart died while he was still completing it for a patron, according to Consort publicist, Joy Ann Bannerman.

“The Jupiter Symphony is a wonderful work, named for the planet Jupiter because of the ‘grandeur scope’ it has. The beautiful Ave Verum Corpus is a familiar piece with many members of choirs, ensembles, bands, and is a touching, moving composition,” she said.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and children. Get them from Volume One Bookstore in Duncan or at the door.

Refreshments will be offered during intermission.

As well, according to Bannerman, there will be a table for donations for movie theme pieces for the Consort’s May 7 concert, where audience members can choose and contribute to the costs of musical selections for that show, Music from the Cinema, with choirs from École Mt. Prevost and Cobble Hill Elementary singing along with the Consort Choir and Orchestra.

Cowichan Valley Citizen