Filling an important niche in the Knoxville classical music scene, the Amadeus Chamber Ensemble continued its participation in the Cathedral Concert Series this past Sunday afternoon with a program entitled “Verdi in the Cathedral.” The Cathedral Concert Series is a production of Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Northshore in Knoxville and previously hosted ACE last month in a concert of Mozart choral works.
Under conductor Brian Salesky, Sunday’s large scale performance of Verdi selections featured soloists, a full orchestra, and a 17-member Men’s Chorus. Soloists for the program were a quintet of singers, most of them familiar to Knoxville audiences through opera productions: soprano Rochelle Bard, mezzo-soprano Diana Salesky, tenor Aaron Short, baritone Christian Bowers, and bass David Crawford.
Salesky began the Verdi afternoon with the “Offertorio” from the composer’s Requiem Mass, the noted work from 1874 intended to honor Alessando Manzoni, an Italian hero who died in the previous year. The section is a quartet for SATB soloists, begun with the rich, yet crisp lower voices of Ms. Salesky, Mr. Short, and Mr. Crawford. Verdi gives the soprano, Ms. Bard, a dynamic and poignant entrance that was stunning.
Having thus introduced the afternoon of Verdi heard through the context of theatrical religious music with Requiem, Salesky moved to selections that held a similar context, but in the genre of opera. First came Don Carlos and “Dio che nell’alma infondere” featuring Mr. Short as Don Carlo, Mr. Bowers as Rodrigo, and Mr. Crawford as King Phillip.
Four emotional selections from La Forza del Destino followed with Ms. Bard singing the role of Leonora, Mr. Short singing Don Alvaro, Leonora’s suitor, Mr. Bowers as Don Carlo, and Mr. Crawford as Padre Guardiano. Ms. Bard’s account in “Madre, pietosa Vergine” was stunning, as was the concluding selection “Pace, pace, mio Dio.” Crawford’s magnificent bass was featured in “Il santo nome di Dio.”
The afternoon concluded with the Act III Conversion Scene from I Lombardi (full title I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata), featuring Ms. Bard, Mr. Short, and Mr. Crawford, as well as ACE concertmaster Miroslav Hristov in a beautiful account of the extended violin solo—an admittedly unusual interlude approaching the significance of a major violin concerto movement.
Clearly, Knoxville audiences should not take the efforts of the Amadeus Chamber Ensemble for granted. Their contributions so far have been significant in expanding the amount of large scale works for chorus and orchestra to Knoxville audiences.
Information about future performances in the Cathedral Concert Series
