The UMass Symphony Orchestra and more than 175 vocalists filled Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall with the powerful sound of Verdi’s Requiem in a special collaborative concert on Sunday, April 26th at 4:00 PM.
Along with the orchestra, the UMass Chamber Choir and University Chorale took part in the presentation of this master work, as well as students from the choral program at Mount Holyoke College, the Illumine Vocal Arts Ensemble, and four professional operatic soloists. Choirmaster Lindsay Pope prepared the choirs, while Gonzalo Hidalgo Ardila rehearsed the orchestra and conducted the performance.
Featured soloists for this performance were Emily Birsan - soprano (Chicago, Ill.), Sarah Coit - mezzo soprano (Philadelphia), Lucas Levy - tenor (NYC), and Kofi Hayford - bass (NYC).
“This is an invitation for everybody to see a new experience,” said Ardila on the topic of presenting a requiem mass that was written in 1874 after the death of Alessandro Manzoni, a friend of Verdi’s who helped unify Italy through his role as a philosopher, poet and senator. “We are talking about Verdi, the master composer of the opera! Even though this is a (funeral) mass, you will see an opera where you can hear the complete palette of the human voice with these powerful choirs and four amazing soloists. It’s really the whole package for the audience.”
“It’s very special to bring the singers of Chamber Choir and Chorale together and to create an even bigger ensemble identity,” said Pope, who, as an alum, was excited about bringing in the Mount Holyoke College Glee Club and Chorale, under Director Colin Britt. “There is a level of intense focus and commitment and a bigger feeling of community that connects us towards a shared common goal.”
For Ardila, this concert is another step forward in his pursuit of collaboration between areas of the Department of Music and Dance. Two years ago he conducted a similar (albeit smaller) mounting of Mozart’s Requiem, while last year he brought the opera and orchestra students together for “Fairy Tales and Magic in Opera.” Still, he acknowledges that a production of this scale takes a lot of logistical work to coordinate schedules, rehearse the orchestra with the choirs and the soloists, and even fit everyone onstage at once.
Musically, the 90-minute piece is a test of stamina, endurance, flexibility, and technical skill. Nearly half of it is the famous and familiar Dies Irae, which imagines the Day of Wrath, with the chorus often representing the flames of the apocalypse.
“It's a very athletic sing, loud and boisterous at times, and challenging in its dramaticism,” explains Pope. “The chorus has to build a powerful sound that will cut through the orchestra. The piece reaches the highest and lowest points of the dynamic range, and it’s important to find those five variations of loud and five variations of soft.”
“There are really hard fugues and counterpoint moments,” added Ardila. “And it’s really important that the orchestra understand the best way to support the soloists through these different moments - moments of happiness, of praise, of love, of contemplation. Flexibility is key.”
The special performance is supported by the Arts, Design and Creative Productions Fund, a new grant available this year from the College of Humanities and Fine Arts.