Unforgettable Master Chorale

One gets few times in an ordinary life to experience something so passionate and meaningful that it becomes haunting. Such was the experience of anyone who attended the Master Chorale’s Saturday performance of Tan Dun’s Passion after St. Matthew.” From the eerie beginning as two performing percussionists moved down the aisles to the stage in near total darkness to the final scene when several chorus members came to play individual water bowls, one even dropping her shoulder-length locks in a bowl for a rinse, one was on their seat’s edge.

Soloists Delaram Kamareh, soprano, and baritone Stephen Bryant astounded us, exhibiting incredible vocal and emotional range. The chorus not only displayed exceptional choral talent, their performance as the angry mob, accusing and condemning Christ, would cause a well-weathered terrorist to tremble.

The music, the sight and the symbolism of this performance was absolutely superlative and absolutely unforgettable.

Doug Bro

Claremont