Foothills singers are raising their voices in a story about love, passion and betrayal for a popular French opera this weekend.
The Foothills Philharmonic Opera Chorus is partnering with the Calgary Concert Opera Company for its performance of Samson et Dalila at the Okotoks United Church Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. Performances also take place in Airdrie on Sept. 19 and Calgary Sept. 20.
“We’ve done this quite a few times with the Calgary Concert Opera,” said opera chorus singer Cindy MacDonald of the partnership. “They want to put on a big opera but they need a chorus to do that. We have a group of singers that have been doing this four or five times now.”
The chorus will sing throughout the opera, serving as the story’s Hebrews and the Philistines, said MacDonald.
“We’re the voice of the people surrounding the main characters,” she said. “You can put an opera on without a chorus but it’s a little hollow. It’s emotional to hear a large chorus singing together in these big numbers. The sound swells in the entire church.”
MacDonald said the most prominent pieces include an old world hymn the men sing as the Hebrews accompanied by principal singer Uwe Dambruch, of DeWinton, and Spring Chorus, an electric, vibrant, youthful song sung by the women alongside lead Dalila, played by Barbara King.
“There are very standout moments for the chorus,” said MacDonald. “It’s a classical biblical story that most people know. It’s a great starter opera that’s very straightforward with passion, deceit and betrayal. This opera has everything you want without being too hard to understand.”
MacDonald said the partnership with the Calgary Concert Opera Company, which began in 2012, has helped the chorus excel.
“We’ve been really lucky to be able to do things like this,” she said. “Normally you would not be able to do opera in Okotoks. It’s so nice to have that partnership, the fact that we have people willing to come and give their time to this.”
King has found the interest growing each year.
“We have 25 in the chorus this time,” she said. “The last time we had 15 so it’s growing, which is great. We have singers who really want to be a part of this show.”
Interest is also evident amongst audience members, said King.
“Every time we come back people are just asking for more,” she said. “We’re a smaller company, smaller venue which makes it much more intimate, much more powerful. We can showcase these professional opera singers who are just trying to get out there and get more experience and also so that the audience can enjoy them right here in our own province, which is really quite something.”
Samson et Dalila, written in the 1800s, introduces the audience to the world of opera through remarkable characters and music, said King.
It will be presented with more focus on the music and less on staging, sets and costumes, she said.
“People can understand what’s going on without all of this theatrics behind it so the music becomes the most powerful thing involved,” she said.
King said the music plays a major role in bringing out those expressions.
“We sing using our voices and using the music to help the audience identify with these characters so they can have their own interpretation and feel it come right from out voice without the extra props and costumes and scenery,” she said. “As the Hebrews they’re sad, angry and desolate. They have to portray those characters in their voice, emotions and facial expressions. When they become the Philistines they’re power, victorious.”
Samson et Dalila will be accompanied by Toronto pianist and vocal coach William Shookhoff, with dance numbers by Calgary’s Compass Performance Studio.
Tickets cost $35 for reserved seating and appetizers, $30 for adults, $20 for students and seniors and $5 for children under 12. Tickets cost $5 more at the door with the exception of children.
For more details about the show or to purchase tickets go to calgaryconcertopera.com
The dates of the Airdrie and Calgary concerts have been corrected from the original posting of this article.
