The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra will bring the power and majesty of Verdi’s Requiem to the Okanagan for its first-ever local performances.
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, the OSO will take the stage with a powerful cast that includes four guest soloists and a 150-voice massed choir that includes the Okanagan Symphony Chorus and the Musaic Vocal Ensemble directed by Frances Chiasson, according to an OSO news release.
Featured soloists for this performance represent the brightest of Canadian operatic talent: soprano Tracy Cantin, mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal, tenor Justin Stolz, and baritone Justin Welsh.
The Requiem, the traditional musical setting of the Latin Mass for the Dead, transforms in Verdi’s hands into what has been called an ‘opera in disguise.’ One of the most enduring compositions of its kind, Verdi composed the piece in memory of a dear friend and public hero, the poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni. The progression of the piece tells the ultimate dramatic story: from profound loss at the beginning, to sheer terror at what lies ahead on judgement day in the Dies Irae, to a final plea for deliverance, the release said.
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“This is a dream come true for me to perform this iconic work. With 150 chorus members, 65 in the orchestra, including eight trumpets and four of Canada’s rising young opera stars, the stage will resonate with this glorious music. By turns dramatically terrifying and exquisitely beautiful, this music makes us feel intensely the fear of death and the balm of peace,” said OSO music director Rosemary Thomson.
Performance and ticket information are as follows;
Kelowna Community Theatre– Friday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Kelowna Tickets 250.862.2867
Cleland Theatre (Penticton) – Saturday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Kelowna Tickets 250.862.2867
Vernon Performing Arts Centre – Sunday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.
TicketSeller 250.549.7469
To learn more about the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra visit their website at www.okanagansymphony.com.
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