The CU Choirs take the stage with the Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, May 2, for a performance of Mozart's epic Requiem Mass in D minor.
The College of Music at the 彩民宝典 is preparing to cap off a banner year with a performance of one of music鈥檚 monumental masterworks. On Tuesday, May 2, the CU Symphony Orchestra and Choirs bring Mozart鈥檚 masterpiece, the Requiem in D minor, to the Macky Auditorium stage.
The epic mass has been shrouded in mystery and intrigue in the two-and-a-quarter centuries since the great composer died while writing it. Dramatized in the finale of the 1984 Oscar-winning film 鈥�,鈥� little is known about how the piece was finally finished, and how much of the work is actually that of Mozart.
鈥淢ozart didn鈥檛 finish it. There were parts that had to be filled in by his associate, Franz Xaver S眉ssmayr,鈥� says Gary Lewis, director of orchestral studies. 鈥淪o there鈥檚 a lot of myth surrounding how it happened, what fragments or sketch materials Mozart might have left for S眉ssmayr, how much of it is his and how much is Mozart鈥檚.鈥�
The culminating work of a career that spanned 30 years and 600 works, including symphonies, operas, concertos and other pieces, the Requiem is revered not just for the story surrounding it but also for the feelings it evokes through its 14 movements.
鈥淭his piece, from beginning to end, offers so much drama,鈥� says choral conducting doctoral student Nathan Payant. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got fire, passion, beauty, serenity, mystery, and I think that intrigues audiences. As a singer, it makes it really fun to sing.鈥�
The piece, which was said to have been by an Austrian aristocrat and amateur musician who meant to claim it as his own as a tribute to his late wife, features a small orchestra, mixed choir and solo vocalists. Members of all four of CU鈥檚 choirs will join Lewis and the CU Symphony in the performance.
鈥淚t comes down to collaboration,鈥� says Payant. 鈥淭here are so many amazing musicians here on campus and it鈥檚 always fun when we have a chance to collaborate with each other, especially on the greatest choral work there is.鈥�
Lewis says the opportunity to bring together two signature areas of the college called for such a legendary work.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always a grand occasion when you have those forces on stage. That tends to mean we鈥檙e performing works epic in nature and large in scope, so that lends a certain importance to the event.鈥�
The concert, which is free and open to the public, is the final in an academic year that saw the College of Music launch its music+ fundraising campaign. The effort to engage alumni and other stakeholders in the future of the college and raise $50 million toward program improvements opens the door for more big-ticket concerts like this one in the future.
鈥淲hat the campaign allows us to do is to have the resources and the ability to attract the very finest students and faculty, and the ability to publicize what we鈥檙e doing here to an even greater degree,鈥� Lewis says. 鈥淚 see it as an enhancement of what we鈥檝e already been doing in the college for a long time, but making it bigger and better.鈥�
Also on the program is Suite No. 2 from Maurice Ravel鈥檚 鈥淒aphnis et Chlo茅.鈥� Mozart鈥檚 Requiem is Tuesday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Macky Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public.听
