APPLETON, WIS. — Budding opera star Heidi Stober, soprano, joins the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra and Lawrence choirs as guest artist in their “Gloria” concert Friday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel, 510 E. College Ave., Appleton.
Highlighting the concert will be performances of Poulenc’s “Gloria,” one of his most famous works, and Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy,” the composer’s first attempt to marry instrumental and choral music together and the early precursor to his revolutionary “Ninth Symphony.”
Tickets, at $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students, are available at the Lawrence box office in the Music-Drama Center or by phone at 920-832-6749. Any tickets still available will be sold at the box office beginning one hour before the concert.
Stober, a 2000 Lawrence graduate and winner of the 2004 Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, has been hailed by Opera News as “the complete package: a winsome presence along with an instrument of stunning brilliance, proportion and beauty.”
She has sung roles with the Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Wolf Trap Opera and Boston Lyric Opera. Earlier this year, she made her debut at New York City Opera and in December will perform works from Handel’s “Messiah” and Mozart’s “Exsultate Jubilate” with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2005, she was recognized with Lawrence’s Nathan M. Pusey Young Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award.
During the concert, the Lawrence Concert Choir will perform a short set of works by Sweelinck, Bach, Vittoria and Langlais, while Cantala, the women’s choir, will present seasonal music for women’s voices.
Senior Peter Raccuglia, winner of Lawrence’s recent student piano competition, and several members of the Concert Choir will perform as soloists on “Choral Fantasy.” Stober will be the featured soloist on “Gloria,” which will be performed by the Concert Choir, Chorale and Cantala and the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra.
David E. Becker, director of orchestral studies, conducts the symphony orchestra. Richard Bjella, director of choral studies, leads the Concert Choir and Chorale. Phillip A. Swan, associate director of choral studies, directs Cantala.
