By Jim Fagan
This year audiences in London, Paris, Minneapolis, Pennsylvania, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and, no doubt elsewhere in the world will be entranced by Guiseppe Verdi’s Messa da Requiem—one of the great icons of western music.
And here’s the good news. You don’t have to travel all over to enjoy this musical marvel by Italian composer Verdi, best known for his wonderful operas like Aida, La Traviata and Il Trovatore.
It’s being performed on Sunday afternoon at 2pm on May 26 right here in Noosa.
Noosa Chorale is staging it at the Leisure Centre at Wallace Park and music director, Adrian King, can’t wait.
“It’s a conductor’s dream,” he said. “Blazing trumpets, thunderous drums, divine solo passages and grand, moving choruses. Probably that’s the best way to summarise the power and emotion of Verdi’s masterpiece.
“It’s the Chorale’s 25th Silver Anniversary Year and we want to make it a year that Noosa music lovers will long remember.
“We have 130 singers in the chorus as we’ve invited the Sunshine Coast Choral Society which, coincidentally, is observing its 25th year to join us.
“I’m also music director of that choir and I can tell you the enthusiasm in rehearsal of all these talented singers in both choirs is wonderful to see and hear.”
Adrian said the four guest soloists included internationally recognised opera singers Hungarian soprano Judit Molnar and Australian baritone Jeffrey Black.
“Queensland Opera tenor Andrew Pryor has appeared several times with us and is a Noosa favourite. Our mezzo is another Queensland Opera soloist Melissa Gregory.”
Adrian said: “The 50-piece Verdi Orchestra will be the largest number of musicians the Chorale and the Sunshine Coast Choral Society has ever sung with – not unlike The Symphonic Orchestra Giuseppe Verdi of Milano, founded in 1993 by Vladimir Delman.
“I am delighted and proud to work with such wonderful and talented Sunshine Coast players in what will be a most memorable and exceptional afternoon.”
Noosa Leisure Centre. Sunday May 26 at 2pm. Tickets $35 (students $25). Bookings www.thej.com.au. Phone enquiries 07 5329 6560
