Coro in Cambridge
Review by Ed Tapper, Bay Windows online, May 19, 2005

It is always a joy to hear Coro Allegro, Boston's GLBT chorus; but it's a particular pleasure when they visit Sanders Theater at Harvard University, where the wonderful acoustics provide them with a sonorous ambience. The occasion which drew Coro Allegro May 13 was a performance of Swanee Hunt's "Witness Cantata" which requires sizeable performing forces. The program also included unusual choral works by two 20th century composers; and, as always, the chorus sang with musicality and polish.

A brief work by Del Tredici opened the evening. The composer's "Jubilant Song" was just that - a spiky little piece composed just after WWII. Despite its brevity and extroverted mood, the work is marked by pungent modern harmonies, and taxing rhythms. The chorus was up to the challenge, and gave a convincing reading of this modernist rarity. The percussive piano accompaniment was ably handled by Darryl Hollister.

Music Director David Hodgkins has programmed much 20th century French music in the past, by composers such as Faure, Debussy and Poulenc. For this concert, he took a chance on a little-known work by Darius Milhaud, a prolific French-Jewish composer whose music was completely new to Coro. And the gamble paid off. The composer's "Les Deux Cites" proved the highlight of the evening.

The work consisted of three a cappella choruses which celebrate the fall of Babylon, and the rise of Jerusalem. The music was rather Neo-classical, and very French in style. Yet it was never derivative, and consistently engaging in harmony and texture. The first chorus was dramatic. It was in marked contrast to the middle movement, an Elegy. This haunting piece effectively employed a mezzo-soprano solo, with a muted choral backdrop. The solo was taken by chorus-member Virginia Fitzgerald, who did a terrific job. The final chorus, "Jerusalem", was the most substantial piece of the set, and the most contrapuntal. Coro realized the work with power and nuance, exhibiting their beautiful pianissimo in the lyrical moments, as well as clarity and balance in the polyphonic passages.

The second half of the program was devoted to "The Witness Cantata" by Swanee Hunt. An educator, ambassador, poet, artist and composer, Hunt wears more hats than the Hat Sisters. And judging from her music, she is good at what she does. "The Witness Cantata" is an ambitious piece, scored for full chorus, soloists, piano and an orchestra of strings and percussion. The texts were taken from poets such as Blake, Akhmatova, Wiesel, and Hunt herself - and deal with maintaining faith in light of despair and suffering. Selections from the scriptures were recited between many of the twelve movements. The guest narrator on this occasion was Reverend Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Hunt's music was traditional and pleasantly lyrical, reminiscent of musical theater or film scores (a principal melody of the first movement bore a striking resemblance to Rosza's Spellbound theme!) Despite certain structural problems, the cantata was often moving. Assisted by five superb soloists, and a crackerjack orchestra, Coro Allegro gave a splendid reading of the piece. David Hodgkins kept his forces together admirably. Throughout the program, he conducted with both precision and flexibility.

With its mellifluous sound, Coro Allegro could intone your shopping list, and make it sound appealing. But the ensemble has a history of presenting rarely-heard choral gems, such as those in their Cambridge concert, and doing them to perfection. If you have been denying yourself the pleasure of hearing them, you need to get over it, and inquire about their next season! They simply do not disappoint.