Presenting Shofar
On Sunday, November 15, 2009 Coro Allegro kicks off its 2009-2010 season by debuting an expanded version of Shofar, an oratorio for orchestra, soloists and chorus composed by Robert Stern with libretto by Catherine Madsen. Also on the program is Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs, featuring internationally renowned baritone Sanford Sylvan as soloist, and Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré. The concert will take place at 3:00 PM on Sunday, November 15th at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy Street in Harvard Square, Cambridge.
Premiered in its original version by Coro Allegro in November 2006, Shofar explores traditionally Jewish themes but transcends them to address universal questions about the relationship between humankind and God. Scored for orchestra, soloists and chorus, the oratorio is based on the symbolism of the shofar in Jewish history and liturgy. The work’s four sections correspond to the four shofar calls used on the Jewish Day of Atonement, expressing in music of astounding beauty and creativity the progression from wholeness to fragmentation to shattering and back to unity. The initial 2006 version elicited raves from contemporary music luminaries such as Lukas Foss (“incredibly powerful and wonderful work”) and Charles Fussell (“moving and beautifully paced”). Conducted by Coro Allegro Artistic Director David Hodgkins, the premiere of the expanded work will feature soprano Teresa Wakim, tenor Jason McStoots, and basses David Kravitz and Donald Wilkinson.
Called “an American master” by critic Paul Griffiths of The New York Times, composer Robert Stern has created a rich and varied collection of vocal and instrumental works over several decades. His music been performed in countries around the world by such distinguished artists as Gunther Schuller, Joel Krosnick, Lukas Foss, Howard Hanson and the Gregg Smith Singers. A professor emeritus of music at the University of Massachusetts, Stern resides in Amherst. Librettist Catherine Madsen is Bibliographer at the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst. One of her central interests is finding ways to convey the power of traditional liturgy in modern-day language.
