LEX DE AZEVEDO, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Saturday.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church was a lovely setting on Saturday night for Lex de Azevedo's "Hosanna," which was itself a lovely and meaningful prelude to Easter.
The seven-part oratorio is a retelling of the last week of Christ's life, tracing events from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem through the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the betrayal and trial to the crucifixion and the Resurrection. It's a powerful, emotional story, and with text taken solely from the King James Bible, this musical version captures the full range of sentiment and feeling.
George Dyer sang the words of Jesus, with Gregory Pearson taking the role of Peter. Both brought rich, strong voices to their roles, and both sang with power and passion. Equally effective were the lyrical and pure tones of Melinda Lockwood, who sang the role of Mary Magdalene.
Stephen J. Bardsley, as Pontius Pilate, had a smaller role, but he, too, conveyed the emotion of that scene.
Two choirs were featured. The Millennium Choir provided a full, harmonious sound that was balanced nicely by the Valley Choir, acting as the antiphonal choir at the back of the church. The placement of the choirs brought a luxuriant, stereo effect that added to the overall feeling. The choirs were also able to convey the discord and confusion as well as the triumph and joy of the various scenes.
Accompaniment was provided by de Azevedo on the piano and Jenny Oaks Baker on the violin. Both were exceptional. The piece includes an "Allegro for Violin," and Baker communicated the "emotions of the human experience" embedded in the work with both skill and grace.
The oratorio included haunting melodies, such as "In My Father's House," "My Peace I Leave With You," "This Is Life Eternal." The final "Resurrection," with a beautiful blend of voice, piano and violin, imparted a final message of hope and joy that will linger throughout the Easter season.
E-mail: carma@desnews.com