The 160+ voices of The Hartford Chorale will join the Hartford Symphony Orchestra for a special two-night only performance of Verdi’s Requiem on Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. in Mortensen Hall at The Bushnell Center for The Performing Arts.
A highlight of this season’s Masterworks Series, this monumental music experience will feature guest vocalists Kate Mangiameli, Jennifer Hines, Bryan Register, and Gustav Andreassen in a thrilling performance that may just raise the roof right off The Bushnell. The Masterworks Series is presented by MetLife Foundation with additional support from The Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation.
“Great orchestras and great choruses must necessarily come together to perform the great choral masterworks such as Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Verdi’s Requiem,” says HSO Music Director Edward Cumming. “This is a rare year when Hartford audiences get to hear both works in one season. Even though Verdi is one of the greatest composers for the theater and though he requires massive forces for the performance of his Requiem, it is one of the most intimate settings of the Latin text known to me.”
As a musical setting of the Roman Catholic funeral Mass, Giuseppi Verdi’s Requiem uses vigorous rhythms, sublime melodies, and dramatic contrasts—much as he did in his operas—to express the powerful emotions suggested by the text. The ancient words are illuminated and enriched by Verdi’s broad strokes and subtle touches, which are best percieved by following the text as the piece unfolds around them. The terrifying "Dies Irae" (which is instantly recognizable from the musical Sweeney Todd and movies such as The Shining) introduces the traditional sequence of the Latin funeral rite. It is repeated throughout for a sense of unity, which allows Verdi to explore the feelings of loss and sorrow as well as the human desire for forgiveness and mercy.
The Hartford Chorale is the primary symphonic chorus for the Greater Hartford community, particularly in its critically acclaimed collaborations with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Through its concerts and collaborations with the Hartford Symphony and other organizations, the Chorale seeks to reach and inspire the widest possible audience with exceptional performances of a broad range of choral literature, including renowned choral masterpieces. The Hartford Chorale is led by music director Richard Coffey.
Since launching her career, soprano Kate Mangiameli has won praise in roles from a wide variety of repertoire. The Charlottesville Daily Progress called her voice “full and luxurious” with “beautiful sforzandos and pianissimos that were breath-taking.” and the San Francisco Chronicle stated that she “brought vocal refinement and elegance [her roles].” On the concert stage, Ms. Mangiameli has performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Omaha, Indiana University Orchestra, as well as with the Worn Chamber Ensemble in San Francisco. Ms. Mangiameli performed most recently with the Hartford Symphony at the first “Beethoven in the Belding” concert this past November.
Lauded by Opera News for her “rich, dark mezzo” and “... a voice so rich and colored that she easily steals any scene in which she appears” (Time Off), mezzo-soprano Jennifer Hines has appeared as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Music Center and the Bravo! Vail Festival, as well as at the Cascade Music Festival. Other recent concert appearances include the National Philharmonic, the Washington Bach Consort, the American Bach Soloists, Minnesota Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony, and the Cathedral Choral Society.
A native of North Carolina, tenor Bryan Register has received critical acclaim for the fresh, bright timbre of his voice and strongly dramatic singing. Most recently, Mr. Register has been added to the prestigious roster of the “Emerging Artists Program” sponsored by the Wagner Society of Washington D.C. He has performed with such opera companies as San Diego Opera, Virginia Opera, and Tulsa Opera. Mr. Register made his Lincoln Center debut in a recital of French chamber music, his debut at Carnegie Hall singing Mozart’s Solemn Vespers, and his Town Hall debut in Haydn’s Harmonie Messe.
Norwegian-American bass Gustav Andreassen has performed with major opera companies and orchestras throughout North American and Europe, to great acclaim. For his recent portrayal of Sparafucile in Rigoletto, “Opera News” stated: “The extraordinary potent bass of Gustav Andreassen was all black tone – sonorous, distinctive, with fine musicianship and dramatic flair.” An avid concert artist, Mr. Andreassen’s extensive list of symphonic engagements includes performances with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. -- www.hartfordsymphony.org
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