Review: Whanganui Opera School captivates with sacred music showcase

NZ Opera School students enthralled the congregation at the Whanganui Collegiate School chapel. Photo / Steve Caudwell

In Praise of Music

New Zealand Opera School

Whanganui Collegiate School, Sunday, January 12

Reviewed by Lin Ferguson

As school founder Donald Trott said at the close of this sacred and stirring service, “music is the greatness of our lives”.

“It unites us all.”

Under the creative and stirring baton of musical director Nicholas Forbes, these young singers were guided with superb musical panache and creative flair.

Forbes was an integral force behind these voices, note by note.

He even walked away through the chapel, holding his singers on every note as he returned, his hands a joy to watch, his singers passionate and lyrical, keeping him in concentrated focus.

O Clap Your Hands by Vaughan Williams lifted this more than 300-strong congregation, with every young singer at their lilting, soaring best.

So very beautiful were the soprano voices of Jasmine Jessen and Niamh Bentley singing Mendelssohn’s cherished Hear My Prayer (O for the Wings of a Dove) ... it soared and captured its lyrical sweetness.

Schubert’s Psalm 23 rang with a blessed sound and was a gift so gentle and lilting from seven young sopranos and four altos, filling the chapel with an angelic ring.

Purcell’s Thy Word is a Lantern, sung by alto Cadence Chung, tenor Jordan Fa’amaono and baritone Tomairangi, was inspirational. Bravo guys, truly beautiful.

An absolute gift of a solo was Mozart’s Laudate Dominium sung by soprano Sarah Mileham with such grace and dignity. A flawless performance.

Closing the students' half of this musical praise festival was Bruckner’s Psalm 112 sung by all the students split into two small choirs. It was truly stirring - a nearly in-tears moment.

And plaudits to this congregation who sang with great verve three hymns, particularly Cwm Rhondda Guide me Oh Thou Great Jehovah.

Not forgetting the glorious music from the superb musicians - organist Francis Cowan, pianist David Kelly, Brass Whanganui trumpeters Tahu Pikimaui and Ben Thompson and timpani Hayden Davis.

There was beautiful cello from Anne Hunt of Whanganui and soaring, glorious flute from Dr Luca Manghi of Auckland.

Thank you for such a splendid musical treat. We were honoured once again in Whanganui.