Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Philharmonic, Master Singers pull off strong holiday-themed concert

In what is rapidly becoming a solid holiday tradition, the Las Vegas Philharmonic filled Artemus Ham Hall at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with sights and sounds of the Christmas season on Saturday. (The program was repeated Sunday.)

Before a near-sellout crowd, the Philharmonic and the Las Vegas Master Singers offered traditional holiday favorites, carols and a dramatic contemporary choral work. The Philharmonic is directed by Hal Weller, while the choir is under the direction of Jocelyn Kaye Jensen.

The showcase piece of the evening was John Rutter's "Magnificat." Rutter, a British composer born in 1945, has been quoted as saying that Christmas has been his favorite time of year since he was a schoolboy, and that holiday choir performances were the highlight of the year. Dividing his time between composition and conducting, he has written several larger choral works, including "Requiem."

This seven-movement work, performed primarily in Latin, requires skill and discipline from all involved. This showed from the first strains of "Magnificat anima mea" to the stirring, ebullient "Gloria Patri."

Featured soloists from the master singers were Sarah Vidal, Anita Meyer and Alicia Teeter, all of who offered lovely soprano voices throughout the work.

After intermission, the musicians and singers returned for a festival of carols, from "Sleigh Ride" to "Festive Sounds of Hanukkah." The contemporary "Let There Be Peace on Earth" offered a philosophical yet upbeat end to the evening.

The hall was festooned with greenery, large evergreens with gold decorations, dozens of pink and white potted poinsettias and massive wreathes hanging above the stage. As the singers and musicians played the traditional "O Tannenbaum" to open the concert, hundreds of white lights came to light on the decorations, adding an extra festive touch.