An ambitious program by the misnamed Glee Club. When I think of Glee Club, I think of school songs and cheers, but this choral concert was classical and operatic. The first piece was short but beautiful by Rachmaninoff. The second, Dream, was a surprise treat in that it was composed by Dartmouth senior Brian Chalif, a bass and co-president of the glee club. In a brief impromptu intro, he explained that he wanted to emphasize the different sounds in “Hold”: Huh, Oooh, Ulll, Duh. I particularly like the tenor and soprano solos with small perfectly done upward pitch slides.
The Magic Flute was a fun section, with the singers acting the part on stage – which helps because it is a very light opera.
After the intermission, it was time for Mozart’s Requiem. This is a beautiful choral piece, and they did a great job. Some of the young soloists came from Opera North, which should be too surprising as Conductor Burkot is the Artistic Director. The performance was well done, and it is a treat to hear it live.
