Chorus Niagara, Niagara’s premier 100-voice choral ensemble in St Catharines

From  A Spark to a Flame – Celebrating 50 Years of Choral  Brilliance!

Giuseppe  Verdi’s  Requiem – A Gala Presentation

 Chorus  NiagaraNiagara’s  premier 100-voice choral ensemble, with Artistic Director Robert Cooper, present  Giuseppe Verdi’s masterwork Requiem Saturday May 4th, 7:30pm,  at the historic Lake Street Armoury,  81  Lake StreetSt.  Catharines.  Audiences are invited to attend a  post-concert reception for the historic lighting of Chorus Niagara’s  50th Anniversary Candles and to enjoy a sample of the anniversary  celebration cake.

 

This  50th Anniversary season finale features over 200 singers and  instrumentalists and showcases a brilliant quartet of Canadian Opera stars.  Joining the 100 voices of Chorus Niagara  are Choralis Camerata and Chorus Niagara’s Community and  Side-by-SideHigh  School Chorales.  The Niagara Symphony  Orchestra accompanies the massed choir. This gala performance celebrates not  only the Golden Anniversary of Chorus Niagara, but also the 200th anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi,  Italy’s  most celebrated operatic composer.

 Audiences  will be dazzled by a Canadian superstar operatic quartet, comprised of Leslie  Ann Bradley, soprano; Anita Krause, mezzo-soprano; David Pomeroy, tenor and  Stephen Hegedus, bass-baritone.

 

Leslie  Ann Bradley, soprano,  possesses a voice described as ‘warm,  voluptuous and beautifully expressive’.  Opera Canada has described her as ‘A  stylish singer that recalled a young Renee Fleming.’  Equally at home in opera, concert and recital, Ms. Bradley has performed with  the Calgary Philharmonic, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Opera in Concert,  Brott Summer Music Festival, Boston Midsummer Opera, Toronto Operetta Theatre  and the Aldeburgh Connection.  A  graduate of the University of Toronto  Opera Program with a Master’s Degree, Ms. Bradley is also the winner of several prestigious  awards. She has appeared on BRAVO television in ‘Love  Story’ and recorded two episodes of ‘Opera  Easy’ for  BRAVO.

Verdi’s  Requiem was first performed in Milan Italy in May of 1874.  It was composed in  memory of Italian poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni, who was much admired by  Verdi.  Giuseppe Verdi is the  composer of many well-known operas including Nabucco,  Rigoletto, Aida, Otello and Falstaff,  favourites of opera companies around the world today.  Requiem,  was a departure for the composer, who was considered to be an agnostic.  Verdi’s operatic style lent a complex  and theatrical flair to the Mass format, making it a dramatic audience  favourite.

Tickets  are available from the Brock University Box Office in  St.  Catharines 905-688-5550 ext. 3257; toll free 1-866-617-3257; online www.arts.brocku.ca , or from a chorus  member.   Media  Contact Paul Price 905-227-2356 paul.price@cogeco.ca 

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