APPLETON -- The nine-member, all-male vocal ensemble Cantus brings its impeccable technique to the stage of the Lawrence Memorial Chapel, 510 E. College Ave., Appleton, Saturday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. as part of the 2007-08 Lawrence University Artist Series.
Tickets for the concert, at $22-20 for adults, $19-17 for seniors, and $17-15 for students, are available through the Lawrence University Box Office, 920-832-6749.
Hailed by Gramophone Magazine for its "astonishing perfection of tone and diction," Cantus sings in the bel canto tradition, presenting music freely and colorfully, with repertoire spanning a broad range of periods and genres, including Renaissance, world music and pop. The Lawrence concert program will include an Indian raga, an African-American spiritual, a Japanese folk song and a piece by Bobby McFerrin.
Founded in 1995 by four St. Olaf College students, Cantus has earned praise as one of the nation's finest professional male vocal ensembles through national tours and more than 400 concerts, including performances at the Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress. Shahzore Shah, a 1999 Lawrence graduate, performs as a member of Cantus.
Cantus has released eight CDs, including last year's self-titled disc that NPR named one of the Top Ten recordings of 2007. It showcases their varied style through a 20th-century Russian sacred music work, a Smokey Robinson tune and an amusing faux-Finnish piece.
Lawrence gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts in sponsorship of this concert.
