Saturday, Dec. 10 & Sunday, Dec. 11, 7 pm & 2 pm
Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center
16th & Franklin, Astora
The North Coast Chorale sang John Rutter’s Magnificat, with soprano Genevieve Butenshon, and instrumentation by local musicians, in the first half of our winter concert at the PAC. A very challenging but beautiful arrangement of this classic canticle from the Gospel of Luke, Rutter’s Magnificat was first performed on May 26, 1990 in Carnegie Hall. Rutter added a 15th-century English poem, “Of a Rose, a lovely Rose” to the piece, as well as mixing in some Latin rhythms, making for an enjoyable feast of music.
The chorale, with help from the Astor Street Opry Company’s Angel Choir, performed Clement Clark Moore’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, set to music by Ken Darby and arranged by Harry Simeone, in the second half of our winter concert, where Santa exclaims, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all good night.”
The poem was first published anonymously in 1823, and is supposedly largely responsible for the conception of Santa Claus.
From the sublime to Santa, come out and see the chorale ring in the holidays, as we embark upon the the second 20 years of a great North Coast choral tradition. This concert marks the third show in Astoria for the chorale this season, after a very successful Messiah singalong and an awesome production of Amahl and the Night Visitors (see below).