Verdi we know.
How don’t we know the great operas, the “Il Traviata”s and “Aida”s are part of the canon and part of our musical culture.
But Requiems? Towards the end of his life Giuseppe Verdi wrote a 90 minute requiem to be performed by soloists, choruses, wind instruments and strings. and last night 350 gifted musicians extended the stage at Hunter College’s Assembly to fit them all for a glorious performance of the great work.
Rock NYC’s Bobby Sciortino was part of the Hunter College Choir who were joined with the Greenwich Choral Society of Connecticut and I’d like to say Bobby stole the show… but of course the whole point of being a member of a choir is they sound as one. The choirs sounded wonderful in what seems to me to a diffcult work to perform.
For one thing it isn’t particularly upbeat. Requiems tend not to be. A tribute to one of the central figures of “Italian culture and literature” in the 19th century, Alessandro Manzoni, the requiem takes you to doomsday and beyond with thundering bass drum clanging like the doors to hell as the (professional, they had to pay the four soloists) Bass terrifies the true believers supplicating God for deliverance.
This, and a solo mid-way by Tenor John Chandler Bernard, are highlights. But honestly, supplication is what this amazing achievement deserves. Over and above the breathtaking music, the finishing end “delevir me from eternal death” terror and beauty in the face of the void, over and above that, there is a different giving of the many to the one that in human terms, is the best reason for God’s forgiveness.
My picture pf the stage is above -sorry folks, you’re gonna grow to hate my pictures i promise.
I hope to get Bobby to write something about the process of bringing Verdi to life till then my warmest congratulations to the Hunter Music department and the Board Of the Greenwich Choral Society on a splendid night of music.