Triumphant Christmas gala by SOSL
View(s):
This was a very special concert (on Thursday December 15), a climax to the Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas concerts over the past few years. All the ingredients were there–the evening was led by the fine cellist, Dushy Perera; she has now for several years been the Orchestra’s resident conductor. Every year the programme has been more ambitious, culminating last year in an evening involving 200 performers.
Apart from the Orchestra, four choirs were involved, including Alye Parusa, the prize-winning Russian Children’s Choir (aged 10-16). The girls mainly tall, blond and with plaits stood out in their pink dresses.They were matched by Soundarie David’s Soul Sounds Academy Children’s Choir and her elite Soul Sounds, who are, internationally, perhaps the country’s outstanding cultural ambassadors. Last but by no means least was The Old Joes’ (St.Joseph’s College) Choir.
The programme included many old favourites starting with a rousing performance of Suppe’s Overture to Light Cavalry. This was followed by one of the most famous choruses ever composed; the chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, Va Pensiero, from Verdi’s Nabucco. When Verdi died his funeral cortege processed through Milan followed by 15,000 mourners singing Va Pensiero–Fly thought…on wings of gold. This was followed a month later when Verdi’s burial was accompanied by Toscanini conducting a choir of 800 (yes, hundred) singing the tune. It never fails to move me.
The second half of the concert was conducted by Nishantha Warnakulasuriya, the evening’s choral director. It started with another favourite, Handel’s Zadok the Priest. Amazingly, its text from the Book of Kings has been used at every English coronation since King Edgar in 973, over 1000 years ago. Then, after several more popular pieces, the evening concluded with a singalong including the sublime Silent Night, for which the two children’s choirs were lined up along the aisles, holding candles. It was both beautiful and moving. Thankfully, no effort was made to jazz it up.
And so ended a most memorable evening–thanks to the entire SOSL and to Sharmini Wettimuny, its Chairperson.
Robin Bradshaw