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City Choir Dunedin, five soloists and the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra produced an accomplished presentation of Johan Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B Minor at Dunedin Town Hall on Saturday.
Disappointingly, audience numbers were somewhat low but those who did attend were most appreciative.
Led by the firm baton of City Choir director David Burchell, the choir opened with the strong, beautiful Kyrie eleison, before soprano Caroline Burchell and mezzo-soprano Tessa Romano presented a well-balanced Christe eleison.
The “Gloria” section of the work alternated between choir and soloists, with each giving their all to the complex, challenging music, strongly supported by the orchestra.
The choir excelled in the Gloria in excelsis Deo and the ringing Cum Sancto Spiritu which began and concluded the section.
The soloists were superb, with Tessa Romano showing mastery in two arias; a lovely Domine Deus duet between tenor Teddy Finney-Waters and Caroline Burchell; and a fabulous quartet performance of Qui tollis peccata mundi — with choir bass David Eyres standing in for original soloist David Greco, who was ill.
Greco’s place as soloist was taken at just two days’ notice by Beran Sertkaya, who had never before sung the Mass in B Minor.
Sertkaya started his first solo, Quoniam tu solus sanctus, a little tentatively but his confidence increased as the work progressed.
His solo in Part II demonstrated his depth and skill as a singer.
The 70-strong choir excelled in the Gloria in excelsis Deo and the ringing Cum Sancto Spiritu which began and concluded the section, as well as the opening chorus of Part II.
Caroline Burchell and alto Claire Barton’s duet Et in unum Dominum Jesum was very appealing and Finney-Waters coped well with the challenging Benedictus, with the flute accompaniment being an orchestral highlight.
Barton’s skilful rendition of the serenely beautiful Agnus Dei was spellbinding, before the choir’s splendid, uplifting Sanctus concluded the Mass.
The commitment of members of City Choir Dunedin never ceases to impress, as does that of David Burchell — the choir and the city are fortunate to have his expertise and fidelity.