March 17, 2009

Paradise Found at the RPO

Dottie: Okay, Milton's "Paradise Lost" and the Bible. Huh?
Flo: Both were inspirations for Haydn's "Creation, " the awesome piece this weekend, with the Eastman-Rochester Chorus outnumbering the RPO 3 to 1!
Dottie: And that doesn't even include the three solo singers, who might be familiar to the RPO audiences from past appearances.
Flo: Barbara Shirvis, Stephen Powell, and Michael Colvin. Did you know that Barbara and Stephen are married?
Dottie: To each other?
Flo: Have some more coffee, Dottie... Of course!
Dottie: So, what can folks expect from this concert?
Flo: The orchestra is a bit smaller than we usually see, but there are 150 voices of the chorus.
Dottie: Is this really about the whole Biblical creation story?
Flo: Yup. The Book of Genesis, with some of Milton's "Paradise Lost" thrown in. Narration by...three archangels, also known as Barbara, Stephen, and Michael.
Dottie: Haydn was German, so will I understand what they're singing?
Flo: You're in luck. It's in English! And if you really want to impress me, you can follow along with the text in the program.
Dottie: Do I have to bring a flashlight?
Flo: I understand that the house lights will be up just enough to be able to see. And this is the very first time it's being performed by the RPO in its entirety.
Dottie: Historic! I'll bring my reading glasses....
Flo: Okay, see you at the theatre!

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