 |
| |
Hope for change through enlightenment and the need for steadfast friendship marked the themes of SJA’s spring concert this past Sunday (4/20). Though a smaller attendance—roughly 375 tickets sold—Songs for a Season of Hope delivered a winning concert of stirring material and polished performances from the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus (TCGMC) and Opera singer Elisabeth Comeaux. Artist in residence host/piano accompanist Dan Chouinard dryly opined, “Season of hope. It’s also an election season so this means it will be over.” Regarding the chorus as the featured lineup, he brought down the house when he suggested, “Feel the need for hope and draw together as a community. Gay folks are congenitally hopeful.”
SJA’s past 2007-2008 concert season offered St. Joan’s community a watershed in concert programming that awakened, challenged and invigorated thought within the context of a concert series. The season started by reinventing what people usually see for holiday fare. Christmas Carols were used in the context of throwing down your weapons in All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914; Spoken word artists poetically waxed about social injustices for the annual MLK concert; Neal Hagberg flew solo showcasing a brave potpourri of angst and tear stained subject matter; and tonight’s concert offered groundbreaking excerpts from an oratorio about methamphetamine addiction. Each one proved exceptional in execution and left one filled with an emotional resonance that lingered long after attending.
TCGMC opened tonight’s proceedings under the tight direction of conductor Stan Hill and Timothy DePrey at the piano with Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends” from this celebrated composer’s 1982 musical Merrily We Roll Along, a buoyant charmer from the chorus. Hill spoke about the first three songs warmly, “These songs deal with a support system—our friends—people who love us, warts and all.” They followed with a sturdy and relaxed rendition of “Further Along,” from Seeley/Espindola’s Exile and finished with The Hollies’ pop tune “He Aint Heavy, He’s My Brother.”
Quite fascinating was to witness the men’s chorus attire. Usually they dress in some consistent type of uniform be it a suit or same colored shirt and pants combination. Tonight, for conformity, they dressed in purple shirts and dark pants, but with a personalized twist. All dressed to reflect their personal style of how they wanted to represent themselves. Some chose a tank top, others a polo shirt. 
Some could be found in a formal long sleeved button down with just a tie, while others chose to add a jacket. Some wore leather vests while others just a plain t-shirt. Whatever fit their personality, but purple, of course.
The evening then focused on our Opera headliner, Soprano Elisabeth Comeaux. As she entered, she giddily made goofy facial expressions at the Men’s Chorus to their happy approval. Now focus, a smiling Chouinard seemed to say, as he began a chat of light banter about her national travels as an Opera touring artist. As he accompanied her with piano, Comeaux offered three exquisite solos: the French “Notre Amour,” a Gabriel Faure composition; the Undine Smith Moore arranged traditional “Come Down Angels;” and “Laurie’s Song” from Aaron Copland’s opera The Tender Land. For her first number, she performed rather upright and formal but for the latter two, she channeled into the tender emotions of discovery, longing, doubt and exuberant wistfulness that proved gorgeously captivating.
Back to the Men’s Chorus, they performed excerpts from their acclaimed 13 movement 45 minute length oratorio Through a Glass Darkly, written by Michael Schaieb. Though this work offered complete staging and a set piece for its premiere at TCGMC’s Friends Are Benefits concert March 29-30, we were treated to excerpts from this commission. Both their Stan and our Dan discussed a setup about its origin and inspiration. Hill offered, “Meth addiction is within society at large. Even in our chorus, one member got wrapped up in it and lost his profession. We decided to talk about it [publicly] as a chorus. We want to get people to talk about it. Don’t sweep it under a rug.” Acknowledgement and intervention are paramount to this difficult road to recovery. “You Catholics know something about angels,” said Hill, “There are angels. You need angels once in awhile.” He concluded before the piece began, “At first I see as a child, then through a glass darkly, but then face to face.”
This illuminating oratorio was performed by three singers(right) from the chorus—Paul M. Brekke as Sebastian, an addicted wealthy Wall Street broker; Derek Blechinger as Zack, his wearily suffering partner; and Michael Lahr as Billy, a diversion. The music offered a taped track of ambient and high energy dance electronica. The Men’s Chorus also served to narrate the scenario about meth addiction and the harrowing struggle that follows its victims.
The opening started out lushly romantic followed by three singing actors. The chorus sings “There Once Was a Boy” about the potential and hope-filled dreams of this addicted character Sebastian. An intricate layering of chorus parts and the singing of three characters interweave. The introduction of the drug, the chorus chime “It’s all over the web [internet].” A whimsical diversion soon takes place with the chorus listing the ingredients that makeup a recipe for crystal meth. Side effects include death, all to the tune of a jazzy up-tempo beat. Then denial takes its predictable place as the chorus croons a dreamy Stephen Foster-like arrangement of “Let’s Pretend Its Someone Else’s Problem.” The heartfelt lullaby “Did You Know” examines innocence that has woefully turned to destruction, where shame and loss destroy all potential. The tenors and bass beautifully counter each other in tumbling rounds on “That’s What Little Boys Do (What a Shame).” All of this material builds around the three characters eventually leading to a combustible head. Sebastian is left alone to battle his addiction. It’s Zack, the long suffering partner, who delivers the heart wrenching “If You Only Knew,” at the end. Blechinger tenderly caresses each and every note of this powerful ballad.
As exciting as this was to witness these excerpts, much was missing to truly appreciate a real strong arc of development that only could be captured in its full context. Still, the gist of it all remains powerfully potent. A 15 minute intermission of wine and cheese followed that featured, how about this, eco-friendly waste products.
The Men’s Chorus returned for Act II with the loose fun of Cole Porter’s classic staple “Friendship” from DuBarry Was a Lady. Noticeable jocularity ensued as chorus members traded gestures of jabbing one another, pretty much “breaking the wall” of the well disciplined park-and-bark still singer and physically animating the song. The Foster/Bayer Sager/Page ballad “Thankful” and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Trouble Water” followed, the latter coming off rather dull, but sparking some fire for a climatic ending.
Comeaux followed with the Francis Poulenc French tune “Priez pour paix [Pray for peace]", a richly dark performance. Harold Arlen’s “Over the Rainbow” trailed right after with a superb tag accompanied by the chorus. Tenor soloist Kelsey Bruso(right) lent bravura style paired with Comeaux and the chorus for a grand finale of Leonard Bernstein’s “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide.
SJA Concert Coordinator/Music & Liturgy Director Anna Vagle closed the concert to acknowledge the wonderful and generous efforts of the concert and volunteer planning committee including Julie Moore handling ticket sales; Pam Oleson Kremer processing tickets; Harriet Horner managing hospitality; and Dan Chouinard brilliantly directing the concert season. $16,000 was raised directly to SJA’s Care Fund.
For the finale, the Men’s Chorus held hand in hand with audience members for their moving signature closer “Walk Hand In Hand.” What an extraordinary evening and perfect close to SJA’s 2007-2008 season, hope filled for growth and enlightenment for years to come.
 |
 |
 |
 |