Victoria Philharmonic Choir: 'The Dream of Gerontius' (Edward Elgar)
$35 CAD ($10 CAD student)
- Joshua Ellicott, tenor (Gerontius)
- Nathaniel Watson, baritone (Priest, Angel of the Agony)
- Sarah Fryer, mezzo-soprano (Angel)
Edward Elgar's epic work for large choir, orchestra, and soloists tells the story of a pious man's soul from death to God's judgement. On the way he encounters angelic and demonic forces and contemplates the meaning of his life. Though first performed in 1900, its story, taken from a poem by John Henry Newman, is thought-provoking even in modern times.
The Dream of Gerontius is a favourite in the UK and parts of Europe but less often performed in this part of the world as it calls on choral forces able to split into as many as 12 vocal parts, top-notch soloists and an orchestra of 30 or more, which will be made up of the Victoria region's professional players.