Its upcoming concerts on Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 1 at 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica may be entitled “Women of Passion,†but they’re also honoring one very special man – Board President Emeritus Tom Redler, who served as President of the Chorus’ Board of Directors for 17 years.
“Tom definitely was a driving force behind our programming for ‘Women of Passion,’ †says Music Director and conductor Anne Marie Ketchum. “Because I knew we’d be honoring him for his remarkable commitment and devotion to the Verdi Chorus at this concert, I asked him what choruses he’d like us to include. And he requested a rich, very emotional and beautiful work – Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni.â€
At the same time, Ketchum had yearned to delve more deeply into Guiseppe Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco (Joan of Arc) after the Chorus performed a few excerpts from the opera a couple years ago. “I started listening to the entire opera and realized it was loaded with gorgeous music,†Ketchum recalls. “And then it hit me. I thought, ‘Now is the time.’ “
Consequently the Verdi Chorus will devote the entire first half of the concert to excerpts from the Prologue, Act I and Act II of Giovanna d’Arco. “It’s one of Verdi’s earlier works,†explains Ketchum, who in addition to directing the Verdi Chorus is a Professor of Music at Pasadena City College, where she is director of the college’s resident Opera Company. “The story doesn’t quite follow the real story of Joan of Arc. In the opera, she dies in battle and there is a love interest between her and the future King of France, which never happened. But it’s Verdi, and it’s Verdi writing breathtakingly lovely music. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to hear a large section of an opera that, beautiful as it is, isn’t performed all that often.â€
Rounding out the program is the Viennese operetta Countess Mariza by Emmerich Kálmân – the story of a woman whom Ketchum succinctly describes as “splashy and beautiful who sings this wonderful big aria.â€
Joining the Verdi Chorus are three equally compelling guest artists: soprano Monica Schober; tenor Robert MacNeil; and baritone Joseph Lodato. While Schober and Lodato are performing with the Chorus for the first time, for MacNeil the engagement is a return visit…and a welcome one.
To order tickets for “WOMEN OF PASSION†or for more information about the Verdi Chorus, call 800.838.3006 or visit www.verdichorus.org.
Ticket prices are as follows: $40 reserved; $30 general admission; $25 seniors: $10 students. The First United Methodist Church is located at 1008 11th Street in Santa Monica, CA; 90403.
