Taihape and Palmerston North choirs stage A Night at the Opera

centres to join together in their music making.

Such was the case last Saturday as our own Choral Society joined with the Arcadian Singers from Taihape to present A Night at the Opera.

The programme for this concert reflected opera through the ages, from Handel’s Chorus of the Enchanted Islanders through to contemporary works as reflected in the selections from Les Miserables, Chess and Phantom of the Opera.

Such a programme, focussed primarily on chorus numbers implies that this combined choir has been through a period of intensive rehearsals but, on Saturday night, it was very evident that this work had paid off, the choirs obviously comfortable with their programme which was sung with obvious confidence, pleasing tone and a joyous commitment to their programme. Joining the choirs for this occasion were two soloists – Alicia Cadwgan and Lindsay Yeo. Cadwgan was most impressive in a deliciously playful rendition of Bizet’s Habanera from Carmen, while Yeo’s Evening Star from Wagner’s Tannhauser revealed a voice of great promise. With notable piano accompaniment from Guy Donaldson throughout the evening, The Choral Society’s Musical Director, Alison Stewart, conducted most of the programme with much empathy for the demands of each work, while the Aracadian’s leader Helen Gordon took the helm for several cheerful Gilbert and Sullivan numbers, all ensuring a pleasant evening’s music for both choir and audience alike.