Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society performing Verdi’s Requiem at Bishop’s Stortford College in honour of former member Edna Wright
Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society (BSCS) is to perform one of the most celebrated works in the choral repertoire this December in memory of one of its former singers as they join forces with the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia to tackle the power and passion of Giuseppe Verdi’s magnificent Requiem.
Verdi’s Requiem, with its instantly recognisable Dies Irae movement - a staple of film and advertising tracks - is a big challenge for community choirs to stage because of the large forces it requires.
But Stortford’s music makers are rising to the occasion with a 90-strong choir and orchestra of up to 50 musicians coming together at the Bishop’s Stortford College Memorial Hall on Saturday December 7 (7.30pm).
The concert has been generously financed by a major donation from the family of a former BSCS member, soprano Edna Wright, who sadly died last year at the grand old age of 98.
Edna first came to Stortford as a Land Army girl in 1943 before settling with her husband in Stansted Mountfitchet in 1951 and living there for over 70 years.
She joined BSCS in her 50s, but still managed to sing with the group for over 30 years, only putting away her songbooks in 2012 when she was in her late 80s.
Edna rounded off her choral career with performances of major works including Haydn’s Creation and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, singing alongside a number of current BSCS members.
Towards the end of her life, she made it clear to her family that she would like to donate a sum to BSCS in order to pay for a performance of one the many requiems that she herself sang during her time with the choir.
Edna’s daughter, Jackie Lamberty, says singing was one of her mother’s greatest joys and it gave her immense pride and pleasure to be part of BSCS.
“I remember coming along to some of the concerts with my father to support my mother and the choir,” said Jackie. “I was always so impressed with the ambitious programmes and quality of the performances.
“The one I particularly remember is the rendition of Verdi’s Requiem at Thaxted Church. I am so thrilled this requiem is being performed in her memory.”
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first performance of the piece in May 1874. It is sometimes described as an “opera without the costumes” and is certainly one of the most theatrical settings of the Catholic requiem mass ever written.
It is a work of fabulous contrasts, with a truly terrifying musical description of the Day of Judgement in the powerful Dies Irae, joyously dancing angels in the Sanctus and the whispered prayers of sinners on Earth in the Agnus Dei.
“We are hugely grateful to Jackie and the whole of Edna’s family for their generous donation,” said BSCS chair Helen Miller.
“Putting on concerts of this size isn’t cheap and this donation represents a significant investment in the future of BSCS, allowing us to invest in other ambitious projects going forward.”
As with the choir and orchestra’s sell-out performance of Beethoven’s Choral Symphony No.9 last year, tickets are expected to shift very quickly. To book your place, visit www.singwithbscs.org.uk and follow the links.
