From Deseret News archives:

Duo to join choir for yule treat

Published: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003 5:04 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Of all the internationally renowned artists who have performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir over the years, the name of Frederica von Stade ranks high on the list.

This week, the American mezzo-soprano will be making her third appearance with Utah's world-famous choir, along with the Orchestra at Temple Square, for their annual Christmas concerts Thursday through Saturday in the LDS Conference Center.

Von Stade won't be facing the choir alone this time. She'll be joined by her close friend and frequent collaborator Bryn Terfel. The Welsh baritone will be flying into Salt Lake City immediately after a grueling schedule of performances in Vienna and London's Royal Albert Hall.

The Salt Lake concerts mark Terfel's first appearance with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and choir director Craig Jessop is thrilled to have both singers onstage together. "We're really excited. This was a real coup to get both Bryn and Flicka (von Stade's nickname)."

The choir has solid roots in Wales — its first director and a sizable number of early members were Welsh converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And the way Jessop tells the story, this Welsh connection was indirectly responsible for getting Terfel to perform at this year's Christmas concerts.

Story continues below
"We did a special for Welsh television a year ago September," Jessop said, "and I told the producer of the show that the choir had four directors who were Welsh." Jessop mentioned that it would be quite a feat if Terfel would somehow be able to come and sing with the choir. "(The TV special's producer) said that she knew Bryn and would ask him. So, last August I called her bluff and sent her an e-mail. She e-mailed me back and said that Bryn would come."

Jessop admitted that Terfel isn't as well-known in Utah as he should be, or as he is in Europe. On the other side of the Atlantic, Terfel sells out wherever he performs. "He's the Pavarotti of the baritone world. But few people realize that here. That's partly because baritones never get quite the attention that tenors do."

Terfel recently released his newest CD on Deutsche Grammophon. Titled "Bryn — Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites," the album includes songs by Bizet, Schubert, Dvorak and other classical composers, as well as popular tunes by Hoagy Carmichael and James Horner. "I bought it when I was in England about a month ago," Jessop said. "The album was No. 6 on the pop charts in England. That says a lot about our culture here."

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concerts start Thursday.

previousnext

Latest comments

It's hard to factor in BYU stats when 70% of BYU students aren't actually...

Blow the dust off your specs. He's also 6-2 and weighs 235. Not like the...

Hey, Doug G., sometimes doing nothing is BETTER than doing something,...

Y. tight ends talented tandem

Bite your ute tongue!

One of the strange misconceptions people have on this site is the idea that...

So how is this this enforced? Young people with sporadic income and jobs, no...

First, Utahans...take this opportunity for NO TAXES on unprepared food. ...

Gays get Mormon support in SLC

["He placed thorns in my flesh to teach me humility"] wow. you should sue...

This is about Kelly, not Brady. Brady is playing with the Packers.

Gays get Mormon support in SLC

It's a start. Now keep going.

Advertisements
Advertisement