Submitted by secretary on
I thought I'd begin with these words of praise and encouragement, received by email from bass soloist, Ashley Riches:
...the choir was in scintillating form – how fabulous to perform without the scores, and to use that to project such an alive and exciting performance. I am very grateful to have been part of it (Ashley Riches)
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Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in last night's performance of the Verdi Requiem in Winchester. It was truly magnificent! Soloists and orchestra superb, choir on spectacular form, all under the secure command of DG [David Gibson]. The Sanctus was breathtaking, the final climax overwhelming, "salva me fons pietatis" really effective. Well done. I hope you are rightly pleased and proud... such good seats, we were really involved and could feel the bass drum. I was transported back to Verona last summer when we heard an equally stunning performance of Verdi's opera Aida. As they might say in Verona - "Bravi a tutti"!!!
(M. Hall)
...the nearest thing to heaven I've experienced
(anonymous member of the audience)
What an amazing and fabulous concert!
(L. Otter)
...magnificent – I almost started being terrified of the day of judgement (quite an achievement for an agnostic [Verdi] to do that to an atheist, when you think about it).
A. Ridehalgh
The concert was AMAZING yesterday. Well worth the trip down from London. Well done everyone!
(L. de Valmency)
The second half was even better than the first! The soloists, individually & collectively, were awesome, the orchestra excellent, and the choir outstanding. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening for us
(friends of a choir member)
And from the performers:
It was a fantastic concert! Such an exhilarating experience which I will cherish as my last concert with the choir
(G. Edwards)
Just to say that 'my' people who came were full of praise and admiration for our performance last night. My sister ... said it was the best she had ever been to and [she] could have happily sat through another three quarters of an hour of it, it was so tremendous and dramatic - praise indeed!
(W. Quarendon)
Apparently when the dazzling evening sun lit us all up through the stained glass window we looked like radiant angels - don't know about anyone else but I couldn't see a blooming thing - do angels ever wear sunglasses?
(unintentionally anonymous member)
That's the best thing we've ever done
(Martin Smith, leader of the New London Sinfonia, as reported by David)
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