Concert: 6th December 2015: A Celebration of Christmas
Concert: 16th October 2015: Rutter Magnificat & Various Opera Choruses
Concert Review:
Magnificent Magnificat and Crowd Pleasing Choruses
When John Rutter composed his Magnificat in 1990, he conceived the work as “a bright Latin-flavoured fiesta”. And the Cantata Choir injected sunshine and sparkle into the piece in its packed concert last Friday, bringing light and shade to an otherwise chilly night. The Magnificat is usually sung as part of the evening Christian service. The new choice of venue – Ryde’s Aspire (the former Holy Trinity Church) – was therefore wholly appropriate for the 80-strong choir, and made perfect use of its splendid acoustics.
The Latin theme continued into the second half, with rousing excerpts from operatic blockbusters. Island Soprano Tressa Lambert presented a coquettish Carmen, before being joined by a lusty chorus in the Toreadors’ March from the eponymous opera. The Flower Duet from Delibes’s Lakmé is best known from the British Airways commercial, and the evening was truly upgraded when Rachel Tweddle, the choir’s ever-busy musical director, joined forces with Tressa for a first class rendition.
Tressa had the audience in stitches with her feigned tone-deafness in Flanders and Swann’s tricky but hilarious ‘A Word on My Ear’. To finish, excerpts from the traditionally twinned one-act-wonders, Pagliacci (the Bell Chorus) and Cavalleria Rusticana (the Easter Hymn), drawing both sacred and secular together. Cantata sang with due drama and devotion.
Special mention must be given to Cantata’s talented pianist and accompanist Richard Wilkins, a veritable ten-fingered orchestra, and all expressed gratitude to Caroline de Belder, who is stepping down as Chair.
By James Vaux
Concert: 14th March 2015: Mozart, Stanford & Haydn
Press Release:
Choir’s showcase for young singers
The Isle of Wight Cantata Choir is giving its next concert next Saturday, March 14, at 7.30 pm in Medina Theatre.
The works to be performed are Mozart’s Coronation Mass, three motets by C. V. Stanford and Haydn’s Te Deum.
The motets will be sung unaccompanied, creating quite a challenge for the choir of about 100 singers.
The other two works will be accompanied by a full orchestra.
In a move to encourage young people to develop an interest in classical music, the choir’s musical director Rachel Tweddle has sought out four young up-and-coming soloists to sing in this concert.
Mezzo-soprano Camilla Bull and tenor Christopher Hann are both Island born and bred and were pupils of Rachel’s before moving to the mainland and embarking on musical careers.
The other two soloists are soprano Jessica Broad and bass Robert Garland.
All four of these singers have already built quite a reputation.
by IW County Press, Saturday March 7, 2015
Concert Review:
Cantata on celebratory form
The Isle of Wight Cantata launched its 2015 season on Saturday night with an uplifting performance at the Medina Theatre.
The choir had chosen two of the most popular and jubilant works in the sacred repertoire, Mozart’s ‘Coronation’ Mass and Haydn’s Te Deum, written only 20 years apart in late 18th Century Austria. Cantata was also set a daring test of its vocal skills: three unaccompanied motets composed by England’s Charles Stanford a century later. After weeks of Monday evening rehearsals, 82 singers pulled off the challenge magnificently. Indeed the more contemplative tone and a cappella setting of the motets provided an enriching contrast in the programme.
The orchestra was in fine fettle, and it was particularly pleasing to hear two Island-born soloists in the first half: international mezzo-soprano Camilla Bull and consort singer Christopher Hann (tenor), former pupils of Musical Director and conductor Rachel Tweddle. Keen to encourage up-and-coming soloists, Rachel also invited Royal Academy of Music student Robert Garland (bass) and soprano Jessica Broad, who studied at Scotland’s Royal Conservatoire. She provided a standout performance – and sublime Agnus Dei – in Mozart’s mass. All four artists added youth, energy and world-class vocal skills.
The Cantata isn’t resting on its laurels, though, and remains keen for interested Island-based singers to join it.
“We’d particularly love to see more men step forward to fill out the bass and tenor sections,” said Cantata Chairman Caroline de Belder
by James Vaux
Concert: 29th November 2014: Gilbert & Sullivan
Concert: 8th December 2013: Chris Claxton & Christmas Music
Press Release:
Favourites and premieres from Cantata
The Cantata Choir will be giving a Concert of Christmas Music in the Medina Theatre, Newport, at 2pm on Sunday, December 8.
The choir will be accompanied by a brass quintet and the afternoon is intended to be a family event. The audience will be invited to join the choir in singing some of the carols.
The concert will also be a From One Island to Another exchange with Cantata giving the first performance of a new work by Guernsey composer, Chris Claxton.
The choir’s musical director Rachel Tweddle met Chris when she worked in Guernsey.
The work features words by Chris’s mother-in-law, Pam Le Tissier, and the music by Chris leads the listeners on a journey through the Nativity story with three songs, Lo, He Comes, Sleep, Sweetly Sleep and The Manger Bare.
The second performance of this work will be given in Guernsey on the weekend before Christmas.
by IW County Press, Friday, November 29, 2013
Concert: 19th October 2013: Verdi & Rossini
The IW Cantata Choir gave a memorable concert at Medina Theatre, on October 19, featuring the first performance on the Island of Verdi’s Four Sacred Songs (Quattro Pezzi Sacri), a complex and difficult piece to sing, which included two unaccompanied movements and double chorus.
During the first half, the choir performed Rossini’s Stabat Mater in an operatic manner, greatly enhanced by four excellent soloists, Laurie Ashworth (soprano), Sarah Pring (mezzo-soprano), James Edwards (tenor) and Simon Thorpe (baritone).
The orchestra was also outstanding under the baton of Rachel Tweddle.
The solid start to the Rossini reminded us of the solemnity of the words, in contrast, at times to the operatic style of the music.
After the introduction, there were two beautiful solo movements, a pleasing tenor aria followed by a well-sung duet between soprano and mezzo soprano.
In Pro Peccatis, the stirring baritone solo interacted well with the choir and the unaccompanied men’s chorus in Eia Mater was handled well.
The full complement of the soloists was employed in an operatic ensemble in Santa Mater and this was followed by another beautiful mezzo soprano solo.
There was an impressive solo choir section in Quando Corpus before choir, orchestra and soloists came together in a well- rehearsed Amen in the final movement.
Overall, one felt full justice to this important work had been done.
A near contemporary of Rossini, Verdi wrote Four Sacred Songs during the 1890s, near the end of his life. The works were written as separate pieces but are nearly always performed together.
Without the “cover” of brilliant soloists, this was perhaps a more ambitious work to perform than the Rossini but the cantata choir succeeded in giving an excellent performance.
The solemnity of the words was well brought out in Ave Maria; it was well done due to the operatic nature of most of Verdi’s work.
In Stabat Mater, the chorus and orchestra produced some stirring music, making this a dramatic work, which was enjoyable to listen to.
A change of mood came in Laudi Alla Vergine and was sung by an impressive women’s double choir in a loving hymn of praise to the Virgin.
The final piece, and perhaps the most impressive, was to words from the Te Deum, expressed in hauntingly beautiful music. It included a full operatic march section, also with double chorus, and was well interpreted by both choir and orchestra.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable evening of sacred music.
By Suzanne Pert, IW County Press. Friday, October 25, 2013