Dunedin RSA Choir, conducted by Karen Knudson with accompanist Sandra Crawshaw, presented its first concert for the year in St. Patrick’s Basilica on Thursday evening.
The choir opened the programme with a rather mediocre rendition of Lennon & McCartney’s Ob La Di, Ob La Da, then it was over to tenor Teddy Finney-Waters whose selection began with a mid-20th century art song Oh Fair Enough are a Sky and Plain, followed by La Serenata (Tosti) and Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal by Quilter. He soloed with the choir in For the Mountains Shall Depart (Mendelssohn). The secure and vibrant tenor quality of this emerging voice is exciting.
Soprano Rosie Auchinvole, soon to finish third-year studies, delivered the Mozart aria Vedrai Carino. Glorious tone with pleasingly resonant upper register for a young soprano. En Svane by Grieg with original Norwegian text and If I Loved You from Carousel completed her solos. She joined the choir for In Paradisum Rose by Faure.
Despite his regular contemporary rock band performances, tenor Jesse Hanan has mastered the ability to switch technique to match the genre and his "classical" voice has developed strength with particularly good middle-register resonance. His solos were Rosa Del Ciel by Monteverdi, Poeme d’un jour by Faure and If I Would Ever Leave You from Carousel. He also joined the choir for the Italian arietta Amarilli Mia Bella.
A jovial sing-along from all for In the Good Old Summertime ended an enjoyable early evening concert.
