When an all-male Vancouver choir meets an all-female Prince George choir, sparks are going to fly.
Musical sparks, of course.
Like the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus using poetry and music to coax his beloved wife out of the underworld by impressing Hades, god of the underworld, into giving her up after her untimely death, the Vancouver choral group has coaxed local choir Nove Voce to join them on stage for a rare performance event.
This is the 25th anniversary season for the Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir. Each year they strike out into B.C. for performances in various parts of the province.
This time they are coming to the North-Central region and they are bringing along songs of Canadian origin like Four Strong Winds, Royal Hudson, Fisherman's Son, the B.C. Aboriginal song Klee Wyck, but also international musical missives like Danny Boy, Ol' Man River, Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight and the Welsh-language hymn Gwahoddiad.
"We have not had a male choir in P.G. since the Welsh Men's choir came through (in 2011) so this is really a super experience for listeners," said Nove Voce choir director Robin Norman.
"The ladies of Nove Voce are very excited to get to sing with these talented men as we so rarely get the chance to sing this repertoire - pieces like Va Pensiero from Verdi's Nambucco, for example, that we could never sing on our own, along with favourites like Fogarty's Cove and Away From The Roll Of The Sea."
The Orpheus Male Choir has been all across Canada and also performed in the U.K. and U.S.
This year's trip started in Terrace, then on to Kitimat and Smithers, they are in Burns Lake today and P.G. on Friday. They have dubbed it their North By Northwest Tour. The incoming group is 45 voices strong led by noted choir director Liana Savard and accompanied by pianist Barry Yamanouchi.
"The Orpheus men are all amateur yet deliver a professional engaging performance from memory. Each performance guarantees an emotional ride through familiar, new, rousing, humorous and classic repertoire," said Savard, adding that theirs is a "highly accessible repertoire that covers everything from sacred and folk songs and Canadiana, to popular contemporary ballads and old-time rock n' roll."
The local host choir will get to showcase some of their own highlight tunes.
Nove Voce will perform signature numbers like The Log Drivers Waltz, V'la Bon Vent (by local composer Alison Girvan), The Overture to the Marriage of Figaro and El Hambo.
"The Orpheus lads look forward to an exciting concert with Nove Voce. This accomplished women's choir were named best overall choir at the 2016 provincial festival," said Savard.
The show happens at St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Tickets are available in advance at Books & Company.
