Friday-Sunday, November 20-22
Michael Stern, conductor
Kansas City Symphony Chorus, Charles Bruffy, chorus director
Susanna Phillips, soprano
Tamara Mumford, mezzo-soprano
Sean Panikkar, tenor
Michael Sumuel, bass-baritone
BEETHOVEN Missa Solemnis
The glorious celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday continues with a masterpiece he wrote at the height of his powers — Missa Solemnis.
Combining the profound spirituality of a mass with the dramatic spirit of an opera, Beethoven viewed Missa Solemnis as his magnum opus. Your Symphony, Chorus and a quartet of soloists join forces for this divine-yet-daunting work under the baton of Maestro Michael Stern. Opportunities to hear this masterwork live are rare, and in fact, this will be the Kansas City Symphony’s first-ever performance, so you will not want to miss out.
Beethoven had an epic vision for his monumental Mass, and the immensity of the piece is hard to grasp without witnessing it firsthand. The soloists and chorus exchange ideas constantly throughout the five-part work. With huge leaps and dramatic dynamic shifts, impressive vocal stamina is needed for the duration of the piece. The work is equally demanding for the orchestra, including thrilling quick passages for many instruments and some especially difficult parts for the bassoon. Even with all the fiery passion, there are delicate moments like the heavenly violin solo in the Sanctus that will inspire you and fill you with hope and peace. Experiencing this deep, complex work promises to be overwhelming and life-changing in the best way possible.
Perhaps Beethoven described it best at the top of his score: “Von Herzen – möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!” (From the heart — may it go to the heart!)
