Submitted by the Music Committee at First Parish on the Common
“How Bedford manages to attract the remarkable musicians that perform at First Parish is a wonder, and it’s likely thanks in part to the draw of working with Brad Conner, First Parish’s Music Director. How many performances include a borrowed harpsichord, three witches, two elves, and a Trojan warrior?” These were the comments of a satisfied concertgoer following one performance of the Three Masterpieces by Three Masters concerts that took place at the First Parish church on March 29th. The First Parish Music Committee, who sponsored the event, was pleased to receive a large crowd for both performances (a matinee and an evening performance on the same day), with the audience showing their appreciation with a standing ovation at the conclusion of the evening performance.
The first half of the concert included Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #5, featuring masterful harpsichordist Yoko Hagino, violinist Rebecca Hawkins and flutist Carol Epple, along with a fine string ensemble, consisting of violinist Edward Wu, violist Anne Black and cellist Nathan Kimball. This same ensemble, joined by Elizabeth Connors on clarinet, and conducted by First Parish Music Director Bradford Conner, then presented Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate with Epp Sonin as soprano soloist. One attendee commented: “The string section was beautiful to listen to, delicate, vibrant, and glorious. Epp Sonin has a beautiful voice, sometimes soft, controlled, sometimes big and wonderful. She really puts herself into the music as well, and watching her sing is almost as much fun as listening to her.”
Following a brief intermission, the concert continued with a semi-staged and costumed presentation of Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas, with the same ensemble of instrumentalists, now joined by Buffie Groves on guitar, and Dean Groves on percussion, plus a large chorus of many members of the First Parish adult choir and several guest singers. Mezzo-soprano Cynthia Mork and soprano Carol Krusemark, both of Bedford, sang the roles of Dido and Belinda respectively, with baritone Benjamin Sears as Aeneas. A combination of First Parish and professional singers played the other roles, including Allie Whitfield as the second woman, Sandra Seitz as the Sorceress, Carolyn Kingston and Diana Cole as the two witches, Laura Kalb as the Spirit, and Davron Monroe as the sailor. Two dancers of CreationDance, Helena Froehlich (Artistic Director) and Lynn Menego, provided beautiful dances with numerous costume changes throughout the production.
Lee Vorderer, who attended the evening performance, commented: “What was amazing about the show, among many things, was the staging. With very limited space, eyes were drawn to one side of the stage while other activities were being set up elsewhere. The dancers, the wonderful witches, even the principal players were part of this sleight of hand, and it worked beautifully. Talent abounded. Wonderful voices and compelling acting combined to make the Dido and Aeneas staging feel like an opera, not a recital. It was a joy to listen to the singing, and equally compelling were the performances; we were drawn into the story and wanted to see how it would turn out, even though we had read the synopsis.”
The First Parish Music committee presents several concerts each year, offering a variety of music to the community, performed by high quality musicians from the Boston area.
Links to Photographs
- RK – Richard Krusemark’s photos: https://krusemark.smugmug.com/First-Parish/Special-Events/3-Masters-2014#!/
- BB – Bob Bass’s rehearsal photos: https://bbass.smugmug.com/Other/Materpieces-Rehearsal-3-27-14/38115261_769NDs
Captions for selected images
- RK9962 Orchestra in rehearsal with harpsichordist Yoko Hagino and soprano Epp Sonin
- RK9959 Conductor Bradford Conner in rehearsal
- RK0174 Orchestra in performance
- RK0190 Opening scene of Dido and Aeneas
- RK0189 Belinda (Carol Krusemark) tries to cheer a tormented Dido (Cynthia Mork)
- BB6459 Dido’s handmaid (Allie Whitfield) reassures Dido
- RK0192 Dido remains troubled
- RK0016 Aeneas (Benjamin Sears) professes his love
- RK0194 Dido finally succumbs to Aeneas’s advances
- RK0195 The Sorceress (Sandra Seitz, r) plots Dido’s undoing with two witches (Diana Cole, l, and Carolyn Kingston, c)
- RK0197 A spirit (Laura Kalb) convinces Aeneas to set sail for Troy and forsake Dido
- RK0198 A sailor (Davron Monroe) urges his comrades to set sail without delay
- BB6583 2 sailors (Helena Froehlich and Lynn Menego) dance
- RK0166 Belinda and a cupid (Helena Froehlich) grieve over the body of Dido
- RK0209 Cast, chorus and orchestra
- RK0208 Conductor Bradford Conner
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