Concerto di Pasqua
Wednesday, March 26th, 2014
Sacred Music for Easter in Nazareth House
Appropriate music for Easter range from bigger oratorios like the St. Matthew’s or St. John’s Passion by J.S. Bach to the more intimate Stabat Mater Masses, Cantatas, Seven Words and Lamentations which portrays the death of Christ thematically through music. For 2014’s Easter, Sempre Opera in cooperation with the Armonia Choir, under the baton of Gerrit Scheepers, decided to perform Franz Schubert’s (1797-1828) Mass in G Major, with arias and ensembles from other oratorios, titled Concerto di Pasqua.
Schubert was 18 years old during the composition of his second Mass and his 167th musical composition in 1815. Legend has it he only took five days to complete the Mass in G Major and that it was intended for a congregation of Lichtental. This composition of Schubert with its lyrical melody and rich harmonies are regarded as one of the highlights of his oeuvre of 998 compositions. Members of Sempre Opera, the tenor Chris Mostert and soprano Linelle Wimbles, as well as the baritone Stephan Gerricke will perform this particular work together with the Armonia Choir, on Easter Sunday, 20 April 2014.
Supplementary to the Mass in G Major, arias and ensembles form other oratorios of Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, Mozart and Rossini can also be heard with sopranos Deirdré Blignaut-Rautenbach and Jo-Nette Lekay, mezzo-sopranos Aukse Trinkunas and Linette van der Merwe, tenors Johan Coertzen and Chris Mostert and bass-baritone and basses Thabang Senekal and Johan Scheepers. The choir and soloists are accompanied by the Sempre Opera Ensemble and pianists Ferdi Geyer and Paul Ferreira.
The concert will take place at Nazareth House (Francis Roberio Street, Pretoria), on 20 April 2014 at 15:00. Tickets for the concert are on sale for R80 and R60 (students and pensioners) by sending an email to gerrit@armonia.co.za or at the door prior to the concert. Enquiries can be directed to info@sempreopera.co.za or by telephone at 082 923 1540.
