MUSIC REVIEW

Messiah features superb arias

— The enormous sanctuary of First Pentecostal Church in North Little Rock was the setting Thursday night for the 83rd — yes, 83rd — annual performance of Messiah by the Arkansas Choral Society.

Its performance of portions of Handel’s “Sacred Oratorio” was augmented by the Vesper Choir from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and a chamber orchestra comprising players from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. The performance was ably and vigorously conducted by Choral Society Musical Director Kent Skinner.

The instrumentalists mostly stayed out of the way, although the harpsichordist stuck out on occasion in the high end of the right hand. Although amplification was required in the large room, sometimes it seemed out of balance, and from a vantage point in the back, the musicians seemed, at times, to be behind Skinner’s baton. But the “Sinfonia” and “Pastoral Symphony” were beautifully rendered by the orchestra.

The soloists were tenor Bray Wilkins, soprano Katy Hoover, alto Martha Antolik and bass Eric Harrison. They were all fine.

Wilkins’ supple and evocative rendition of the aria “Every Valley Shall Be Exalted” was outstanding. He was equally superb in the rarely heard arias from the Easter section, beginning with “Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart” to the duet “O Death Where Is Thy Sting?” with Antolik. She also was very good in the aria “Oh Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion.”

The Choral Society produced a very nice sound in the big chorales, such as “And The Glory Of The Lord” and “Glory to God In The Highest.”

“Hallelujah” would have been the usual show-stopper if it had been the finale. But the group ended this year’s production with the powerful “Worthy Is The Lamb” and the “Great Amen.”

Arkansas, Pages 13 on 11/30/2012

Upcoming Events