One of the most captivating operas… is not an opera at all
Our Diamond Celebration comes to a sparkling, dramatic conclusion with Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem. From muted sorrow to sheer terror to prayerful hope, this concert will be a soul-stirring event as Maestra Anne Harrigan leads the Orchestra, Chorale, and four exquisite soloists—Lauren Margison (Soprano), Stephanie Doche (Mezzo-Soprano), Derrek Stark (Tenor), Aleksey Bogdanov (Bass)—in her final Classic Series performance.
While a Requiem is inherently religious—a Requiem is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased—Verdi himself was not necessarily religious. He often claimed, “to be not an outright atheist but a very doubtful believer.” Nevertheless Verdi, deeply moved by the death of Alessandro Manzoni, knew he wanted to compose an entire Requiem as a personal and national tribute while still staying true to his sound. And he managed to do just that. By combining the solemnity of the Catholic Mass with the dramatic intensity of opera, he transcends religious formality and express his own fascination with human emotion and mortality.
Verdi’s Requiem is one of the greatest showcases of vocal, choral, and orchestral writing and performing, it is also extremely popular in media. The very beginning of the second movement, called the Dies Irae, can be found practically everywhere from Lord of the Rings to Frozen to Attack on Titan. The deep descending notes and minor key create a somber, ominous feeling that can encapsulate a dark atmosphere without any words.
This concert also marks the last time Anne Harrigan will be performing on stage at the Alberta Bair Theater. Don’t worry, you’ll still get to see her one more time at Symphony in the Park on June 28th, but this passionate and dramatic piece will bring our 75th Anniversary Classic Series Season to a stunning end.
Fire. Fury. Verdi. is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, at Alberta Bair Theater. The performance begins at 7:30PM, doors open at 6:30PM, and Pre-Concert Cues begin at 6:40PM. To purchase tickets, call 406-256-6052 or visit www.billingssymphony.org.
