As the singers wailed in panic about the judgment day and prayed for eternal salvation, all in Italianized Latin, you’d think the scene seemed more like Dante’s Inferno than Fairfield County.
Not for the Fairfield University Chamber Singers.
The Chamber Singers departed campus Mar. 19 to perform Verdi’s Requiem at the Palace Theater in Stamford under conductor Laurence Gilgore and chorus master Carole Ann Maxwell, DSM.
They joined the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut, the Connecticut Grand Opera and the Connecticut Choral Arts Society, as well as a full orchestra and four professional soloists, totaling more than 250 musicians.
For the past two spring semesters, the Chamber Singers, an ensemble drawn from the larger Glee Club, have foregone their usual chamber repertoire in favor of longer, monumental pieces. Last year they performed Mozart’s Requiem with the Mendelssohn Choir. The Chamber Singers are the youngest musicians in these performances.
Clocking in at 95 minutes and spanning several octaves for each voice part, the Verdi Requiem is a considerable challenge. Maxwell refers to Verdi as “Attila of the Larynx,” and this work in particular is no different.
“This is the most difficult and monumental piece I’ve ever done, and it’s amazing that we got to do it in college,” said John Gallagher ’06.
Despite the difficulties, the Chamber Singers felt they were able to excel in an environment where virtually everybody was older than them.
“The Chamber Singers more than held their own,” said Maxwell. “They also had the least rehearsal time out of all four choirs, which makes their mastery of the material all the more impressive.”
Glee Club president Luke Kloza ’06 summed it up simply: “We may lack life experience, but we make up for it with our performance ability.”
Others agreed.
“The Chamber Singers work well with so many people on stage, which isn’t easy,” said Dean of Freshman Debnam Chappell, who sings with the Mendelssohn Choir. Several others were impressed by their drive and focus, which is no doubt influenced by Maxwell.
In fact, the Mendelssohn Choir, also under Maxwell’s direction, is now home to several Glee Club alumni. “I travel an hour to sing with the Mendelssohn Choir, and it’s worth it to be able to work with Carole Ann. I like her conducting style,” said Erin Curtin ’03. “And it’s really nice to sing with our Glee Clubbers again!” added Katie Silva ’04.
Between the different groups singing the Verdi Requiem, one fact is certain – their love of music is what brought them together and continues to unite them.
“It was a stunning performance,” said Maxwell. “Exquisite. It was as if it were one voice.”
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