This year, the Cathedral of the Madeleine will begin its festival in a big way.
To mark the centennial of the cathedral's dedication, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square will start things off with two concerts this weekend.
This is only the second time that the Tabernacle Choir has performed in the cathedral.
"We are really happy that they will open our festival this year," festival director Drew Browning told the Deseret News. "They're a big draw, and it creates a little different feel when they play in a place like the cathedral."
Browning said that more than 300 choir members had already signed up to sing at this weekend's concerts. They will be joined by 65 musicians from the Orchestra at Temple Square. "That means we'll have close to 400 people participating in our opening event."
That means there will be fewer seats available for the public. "There will only be space for 700-750 people," Browning said. "Normally, the cathedral can seat around 900. That's why we decided to do two concerts."
The festival committee first approached the Tabernacle Choir nearly five years ago about opening this year's festival. "We were so excited when they agreed," Browning said.
The only other time the Tabernacle Choir has performed at the cathedral was in 1993, when the church was reopened after being closed for extensive renovations.
The program that the choir will sing this weekend will include selections from its latest CD, "Come Thou Font of Every Blessing." Gustav Holst's Psalm 86, featuring two soloists from the Madeleine Choir School, is also on the program.
Browning said tickets for Saturday's concert have already been distributed. A few tickets remain for Sunday's performance. And there will be a stand-by line both evenings.
While attention has been focused on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Browning said, the rest of the festival features some outstanding performers, as well.
"Every year we feel like we're trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but I think we have some great concerts lined up this year," he said.
The second concert, on April 26, has local favorite Kate McLeod returning with a program called "Songs for a Cathedral." "She always gives a wonderful concert," Browning said, "and I'm happy that she's returning this year."
Making their first official appearance at the festival this year is Barlow Bradford's Utah Chamber Artists. They'll be doing two performances, May 3-4.
"They're no strangers to the cathedral, because they've been doing their fall concerts here for the last five or six years," Browning said.
Joining the group will be Utah Symphony principal trombonist Larry Zalkind, violinist Eugene Watanabe, pianist Vera Oussetskaia and guitarist Todd Woodbury.
The concert on May 17 features the cathedral choir and chamber orchestra, under music director Gregory A. Glenn, in a program of baroque works by J.S. Bach, Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Jean-Baptiste Lully.
Singer Michael Ballam will be featured on May 24.
"Michael will be doing a lecture-performance on the healing power of music," Browning said. "It will just be him and a piano, and he will focus on how music can serve a vital role in enriching our lives."
Closing out the festival June 7 will be a return visit by the Children's Dance Theatre. Their program, "Dance as a Language of Praise," will also include members of the Madeleine Choir School. "They'll be doing spirituals, folk hymns and sacred music."
Browning said he wanted to end the festival with children: "Because this is a centennial year for us, we wanted to include children, because the hope of the future lies with youth."
While some people might object to having dance in a church, Browning doesn't see anything wrong with it. "If it's done right, dance can embrace spirituality and reverence."
This year's Madeleine Award recipient is University of Utah professor James T. Svendsen, founder of the Classical Greek Theatre Festival of Utah.
A dinner honoring him will be held May 10 at 6 p.m. at the New Yorker. For tickets and information, contact the cathedral office, at 801-328-8941.
On June 12, a few days after the official end of the festival, there will be an organ concert in the cathedral featuring all five Tabernacle organists, along with cathedral organist Douglas O'Neill. The concert takes place at 8 p.m.
"We did a big organ concert like this last year, and it was a huge hit," Browning said.
The Tabernacle organists know how to play to the audience, he said. "They know all the crowd-pleasing pieces, and they know how to show off what the organ can do."
Festival schedule
Below is a listing of festival events. Unless otherwise noted, all events are free of charge and take place at 8 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Madeleine.
April 18-19: Mormon Tabernacle Choir, "A Celebration in Sacred Song."
April 26: Kate McLeod, "Songs for a Cathedral."
May 3-4: Utah Chamber Artists, "Sight Meets Sounds."
May 10: 6 p.m., New Yorker: The Madeleine Award Dinner Honoring James T. Svendsen. Advance reservations are required. Call the cathedral office at 801-328-8941.
May 17: The Cathedral Choir and Chamber Orchestra, "Judicium, Sapientia et Spiritus: Music of Bach, Charpentier and Lully."
May 24: Michael Ballam, "Music as Healing."
June 7: Children's Dance Theatre, "Dance as a Language of Praise.
If you go
"What: Madeleine Festival, Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square
Where: Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 E. South Temple
When: 8 p.m. April 18-19
How much: Free, but tickets required (limited number of tickets still available for April 19)
Phone: 801-328-8941
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com