The Orpheus Choir of Bangkok and the Siam Philharmonic present "Opera Without Divas", a concert of opera choruses at the Church of Christ in Thailand on May 24 at 8pm.
The Orpheus Choir will perform six famous opera choruses in four operatic languages - German, French, Italian and Russian - ranging from the majestic to the romantic and the passionate to the wild and exotic under the baton of its founder Somtow Sucharitkul.
The chorus will play many different characters in turn - gypsies, medieval knights, Russian warriors, Venetian gondolieri, Japanese geisha and Spanish bullfighters, and many more.
The three-act opera will feature Richard Wagner's Tannhauser Chorus, Jacques Offenbach's Barcarolle from Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Georges Bizet's March of the Toreadors from Carmen, Giuseppe Verdi's Anvil Chorus from Il trovatore and Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Nabucco, Giacomo Puccini's Humming Chorus from Madama Butterfly, Alexander Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, Pietro Mascagnini's Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, Jules Massenet's Meditation from Thais and Richard Wagner's Siegfried Idyll.
The singers of the Orpheus Choir are very versatile. They have appeared in difficult opera classics like Turandot and Aida, as well as challenging contemporary operas such as Mae Naak and Ayodhaya.
Every singer is a performer. And on the night of May 24 there will be no stage nor costumes, but the Orpheus Choir will make the scenes come alive. They will make opera exciting even without divas.
Somtow Sucharitkul is the artistic director of the Bangkok Opera. He founded the Siam Philharmonic in 2002 and has led it in Wagner operas, Mahler symphonies and premieres of works by contemporary Asian composers. He is a well-known composer himself whose operas have transformed the music scene of Southeast Asia.
The Siam Philharmonic is the resident orchestra of the Bangkok Opera, but also has a rich concert existence of its own. It is particularly known for its innovative apprentice programme, in which exceptionally talented young musicians are given the opportunity to play alongside top professionals.
The Orpheus Choir was founded in 2001 and has at times, over the years, been Bangkok's premier choral group, performing as the Bangkok Opera's resident chorus.
It has also been a pioneering ensemble in concert music, performing the Southeast Asian premieres of works like Tippet's A Child of Our Time as well as the great classics such as Mozart's C Minor Mass and the Brahms Requiem.
Tickets cost 500 and 800 baht (200 baht for students). For more information, call 02-663-3236 or visit http://www.bangkokopera.com.
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