Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
2002-12-15
Section: Main News
Edition: Final
Page: A2
A 'MESSIAH' TO WARM BOTH BODY AND SOUL
Rich Copley, Herald-Leader Arts Writer
On as yucky a night as Mother Nature can offer, the Lexington Singers and Lexington Philharmonic served up a rendition of George Frideric Handel's Messiah that listeners could melt into like a warm cup of cocoa.
The chorus, orchestra and soloists mixed virtuosity and gentle spirits to make the masterpiece seem every bit the familiar friend it is.
At its soul, Messiah is a choral work, and the Singers couldn't have done better by it. Director Jefferson Johnson had the chorus of more than 130 voices singing with a clarity and precision that illuminated Handel's subtle touches and powerful exclamations. Johnson, who also directs choirs at the University of Kentucky, should earn a Tubby Smith salary for the work he does with these ensembles.
The soloists were current and former UK opera all-stars, including baritone Mark Whatley, who advanced to the final round of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in April. He showed the talent that got him there, from his authoritative entrance, Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts, to his spirited exchange with trumpeter Daniel Grantham on The Trumpet Shall Sound.
Tenor Norman Reinhardt, who kept his commitment to sing despite advancing to the regional round of the Met Auditions yesterday (where he placed second), gave a beautiful performance, from the compassion of Comfort Ye, My People to the vigorous defiance of Thou Shalt Break Them.
With no solos in the first half, soprano Patricia Andress entered after intermission. Listening to the Philharmonic's mellow rendition of the Pastoral Symphony, she soaked in the evening's mood and eased into There Were Shepherds Abiding in the Field.
Mezzo-soprano Sherri Phelps was theatrical, moving appropriately to accent her gentle singing. When she wasn't center stage, her expressive face lent as much to the evening's warmth as her voice.
It was the sort of night where a child's "Yay!" after Whatley's But Who May Abide seemed more appropriate than a "Bravo!"
After maestro George Zack brought the evening to a thrilling conclusion with Amen, the audience emerged from the Singletary Center to find the cold rain had changed to fluffy snow, as if Mother Nature were whispering "Merry Christmas."
Reach Rich Copley at (859) 231-3217 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3217, or rcopley@herald-leader.com.
2002-12-15
Section: Main News
Edition: Final
Page: A2
A 'MESSIAH' TO WARM BOTH BODY AND SOUL
Rich Copley, Herald-Leader Arts Writer
On as yucky a night as Mother Nature can offer, the Lexington Singers and Lexington Philharmonic served up a rendition of George Frideric Handel's Messiah that listeners could melt into like a warm cup of cocoa.
The chorus, orchestra and soloists mixed virtuosity and gentle spirits to make the masterpiece seem every bit the familiar friend it is.
At its soul, Messiah is a choral work, and the Singers couldn't have done better by it. Director Jefferson Johnson had the chorus of more than 130 voices singing with a clarity and precision that illuminated Handel's subtle touches and powerful exclamations. Johnson, who also directs choirs at the University of Kentucky, should earn a Tubby Smith salary for the work he does with these ensembles.
The soloists were current and former UK opera all-stars, including baritone Mark Whatley, who advanced to the final round of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in April. He showed the talent that got him there, from his authoritative entrance, Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts, to his spirited exchange with trumpeter Daniel Grantham on The Trumpet Shall Sound.
Tenor Norman Reinhardt, who kept his commitment to sing despite advancing to the regional round of the Met Auditions yesterday (where he placed second), gave a beautiful performance, from the compassion of Comfort Ye, My People to the vigorous defiance of Thou Shalt Break Them.
With no solos in the first half, soprano Patricia Andress entered after intermission. Listening to the Philharmonic's mellow rendition of the Pastoral Symphony, she soaked in the evening's mood and eased into There Were Shepherds Abiding in the Field.
Mezzo-soprano Sherri Phelps was theatrical, moving appropriately to accent her gentle singing. When she wasn't center stage, her expressive face lent as much to the evening's warmth as her voice.
It was the sort of night where a child's "Yay!" after Whatley's But Who May Abide seemed more appropriate than a "Bravo!"
After maestro George Zack brought the evening to a thrilling conclusion with Amen, the audience emerged from the Singletary Center to find the cold rain had changed to fluffy snow, as if Mother Nature were whispering "Merry Christmas."
Reach Rich Copley at (859) 231-3217 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3217, or rcopley@herald-leader.com.
Reprinted courtesy of the Lexington Herald-Leader