I won’t go so far as to say I was lied to or deceived. We went to the Kennedy Center last Friday night to see the Messiah. He was not present. They did have a bunch of singers and orchestra people.
It was a great experience on many levels. The music / singing was excellent. Of course, when your frame of reference for the recent past has been middle school musicians it’s a dramatic contrast.
It was fascinating to watch the violin players. The individuals I was watching all played the same parts but all played the same parts differently. The first chair was flamboyant and expressive. The second chair looked like one of the grumpy grandpa’s from the muppets. He sat rigid and stonefaced the entire performance. I guess he was still upset about not being first chair. A couple of rows behind them was a violin player whose posture was that of someone playing the violin in a recliner. On and on, same piece different playing style.
The alto solos were sung by a countertenor (in other words falsetto). He was about 6′2” bald, large, and wore an outfit similar to that of a Star Fleet admiral. Picture Dr. Evil and you’ve got a good idea of one of the soloists.
I was also struck, again, by how you have to know what’s going on. No one tells you. No word when to clap, when not to clap. It’s tradition to stand during the Hallelujah Chorus. No one tells you this. Fortunately Beth told me right before the moment came to stand. I think about people who come into our celebrations of Christ and how lost they must be (literally) in our liturgy.
All that withstanding, it was a great evening. The venue was amazing. The presentation was first class. It truly was one of the top gifts I’ve received.
