Orchestra, choir team up for ‘Messiah’

Published Apr 14, 2011

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AS part of the Easter celebratory traditions, the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra will team up with the Durban Symphonic Choir and the Playhouse Company Chorale to perform Handel’s Messiah.

The choral experience, which takes place at the Mariannhill Cathedral on Sunday, will be performed under the baton of KZNPO’s Naum Rousine.

“People love to hear pieces such as I Know That My Redeemer Liveth and Handel’s Messiah being played at the cathedral. They are very spiritual musicals and the subject for the piece is very touching and playing them in church is very beautiful.

“If you don’t understand the story of Jesus Christ and the history of Handel’s Messiah, then just listen to the music and enjoy it,” said Rousine.

The Durban Symphonic Choir and the KZNPO usually perform together. The list of their successful partnerships also includes performing with the Durban Serenade Choral Society, the South African Singers, the KwaZulu-Natal Chorale, the Pietermaritzburg Amateur Music Society and the Johannesburg Symphony Choir, as well as international choirs such as the London Bach Choir and a choir from Germany.

The quartet for Handel’s Messiah is comprised of Cornelia Conrad-Vos (soprano), Marietje Bezuidenhout (alto), Sibonelo Mbanjwa (tenor) and Andre Butler (bass).

Rousine encourages those who don’t have a classical music background to use these pieces as a starting point for their educational journey.

“In my life experience I have found that people have a lazy attitude when it comes to classical music. They hear about a music piece that has existed for 300 years, but they don’t know why that is so.

“My neighbour of many years told me he doesn’t like classical music, but I gave him an album of a quartet to listen to. After listening to it for a couple of days, he realised he enjoyed the music and asked me for more. If you don’t understand music make an effort to find out about its origins and take it from there.”

lHandel’s Messiah starts at 3pm and tickets cost R80 at the door. For more information call 082 668 0044 or 031 201 0860.

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