Currently in its 21th season and past recipient of the Westchester County Arts Organization of the Year Award, Taconic Opera presents what is considered to be Giuseppe Verdi’s greatest work and one of the greatest pieces of music of all time, his magnificent and soaring Messa da Requiem. Conducted by Taconic Opera Director, Maestro Dan Montez, the work will feature the fully-professional Taconic Opera orchestra and lead singers, along with chorus. According to Montez, “No one should miss this amazing work of art.”
The company will be presenting performances in two locations: Saturday, March 30, 2019, at 03:00 p.m. at the Ossining United Methodist Church, 1 Emwilton Place at the corner of Route 9, Ossining, NY 10562; and Sunday, March 31, 2019, at 03:00 p.m. at the White Plains Presbyterian Church, 39 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601. Both of these beautiful venues are ideally suited for live sacred music of this caliber due to their acoustical and architectural properties.
Verdi’s Messa da Requiem is a musical setting of the Catholic funeral mass (requiem) for the deceased, and it includes four soloists, double choir and orchestra. It was composed in memory of Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist whom Verdi admired. After its debut in 1874, it is usually performed as a concert rather than as liturgy, and continues to this day to be a staple and a favorite in the massive repertoire of choral singing. Its popularity lies in its vigorous rhythms, sublime melodies and dynamic contrasts to express the powerful emotions in the text, ranging from thunderous to heavenly.
Tickets are $27, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and can be purchased at the door, in advance online here, or by calling Taconic Opera’s toll-free number 855-886-7372.