Renaissance Gold: In Celebration with Manawatū Sinfonia
- Date: 13/09/2025 19:00 - 21:00
- Location: Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, 197 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North
- Tickets: $25 .00General Admission | $20.00 Concession | $15.00 Secondary School | $15.00 Youtube Ticket | Under 13 Free
Renaissance Gold Concert with the Manawatu Sinfonia
Bach's Magnificat in D
On Saturday 13 September, at 7.00 pm in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on Broadway, PN, the choir under Christine Archer-Lockwood is to be joined by the Manawatu Sinfonia and soloists, Caroline Hickman, Jennifer Little and Lindsay Yeo with choristers Nigel Tongs and Bronté Hodgetts also singing solo in Bach's Magnificat. The Magnificat is a world favourite, arguably Bach's best choral piece that has transcended the ages, celebrating Luke's description of Mary's pregnancy.
In addition, the choir and orchestra perform Ritchie's Then I Understood. When a child of seven to nine, Laura Rangers sketched eight poems centred on summers at Otaki Beach, Ritchie seized the opportunity to add the musical dimension and the result are dual choirs - the Renaissance Singers split - accompanied by the Sinfonia to set off Rangers' delightful insights, so elegantly displayed. The magic that can be childhood.
The concert has a celebratory theme, it being the 50th anniversary of the choir. Thus the inclusion of Forrest's Three Nocturnes that express the wonderment involved when examining the heavens and the universe full of stars. Throughout this piece the percussionists alone from the Sinfonia provide whimsical accompaniment with a celeste providing the heavenly tones - a hit when played on the last occasion the choir sang the piece.
Opening the concert will be Carl Orff's O Fortuna from his popular Carmina Burana. While O Fortuna laments the role of fate it is set in the larger piece that celebrates life with gusto.
With the performers in great form (two choristers just back from singing with the world's best choir) this concert will no doubt build the sense of celebration - full of life and wonderment.
