On October 19 and 20, 2013, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Chorus performed Verdi’s Requiem. The chorus, prepared by Erin Freeman and standing in double choir formation, received stellar press. In Letter V, Virginia’s Classical Music Blog, Clarke Bustard said: “Intense quiet was one of the most effective tones of voice in this choral performance. From the opening “Requiem” through the conclusion of the Mass, the Symphony Chorus created striking effects of shadowed tone and distance in its sotto voce singing. In louder and more turbulent passages, notably the recurrent Dies Irae, the choristers projected energy and passion, and demonstrated gratifying attending to detail in more complex sections.” Anne Timberlake, in the Richmond Times Dispatch, wrote “Perhaps most satisfying were the crisp consonants and dynamic contrasts of the perennially fine Richmond Symphony Chorus. Like that sizzling bacon, the chorus, a community institution for many decades now, seldom fails to sate.” Read the full reviews here: Letter V and Richmond Times Dispatch.
