Thursday, January 18, 2007 Older Editions

Andover Choral Society to perform Messa da Requiem

Giuseppe Verdi, renowned for his well known operas - Aida, Rigoletto, and La Traviata - also composed a religious masterpiece, Messa da Requiem to commemorate the death of his longtime librettist and famous Italian poet, Alessandro Manzoni.

Brahms considered this composition the work of a genius, as have most other critics, and the work has been widely performed since its introduction in 1874.

The Messa da Requiem is also known as The Defiant Requiem.

Rafael Schaechter, a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camp in Terezin, Czechoslovakia, taught his fellow Jewish prisoners to sing Messa da Requiem in order to defy the Nazis by responding to the worst of mankind with the best of mankind.

Although Schaechter was later sent to Auschwitz, his memory and those of the victims and survivors of Terezin were commemorated last year with a performance of the Messa da Requiem in the former Nazi camp.

The Andover Choral Society, in performing the famous work, will be joined by the well-known soloists: Jessica Tarnish, soprano; Krista River, mezzo-soprano; Ray Bauwens, tenor; Donald Wilkinson, bass; and a full orchestra conducted by musical director Allen Combs.

The concert will be held at the Rogers Center, Merrimack College, North Andover, on Sunday, January 28 at 3 p.m.

For tickets and information, call 978-688-6353.