'Thrill of a lifetime': Worcester Chorus performs Verdi's 'Requiem' at Carnegie Hall

Virginia Vaughan
·1 min read
The Worcester Chorus and the Masterwork Chorus from New Jersey at Carnegie Hall Oct. 2
The Worcester Chorus and the Masterwork Chorus from New Jersey at Carnegie Hall Oct. 2

In 2019, Chris Shepard conducted the Worcester Chorus, the Masterwork Chorus from New Jersey and the Worcester Festival Orchestra in a performance of Verdi's "Requiem" to mark Shepard’s 10 years as director of the Worcester Chorus. A repeat performance had been scheduled for 2020 in Carnegie Hall but was postponed by the pandemic. On Oct. 2, the performance took place at Carnegie Hall. Below, Virginia Vaughan, a chorus member and retired Clark University English professor, offers a firsthand perspective on the concert.

The song says, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. As a proud member of Worcester Chorus since 1984, I can say that we have definitely made it!

Our performance of the Verdi Requiem in Carnegie Hall was the thrill of a lifetime, and the most amazing choral experience I’ve ever had. We had been warned that the audience might be small, but from the stage it looked huge.

The view from the stage of Carnegie Hall.
The view from the stage of Carnegie Hall.

Carnegie’s two lower balconies were packed and the floor seating was about 75% full. Joining with Masterwork Chorus of New Jersey, inspired by four incredible soloists, and accompanied by the largest orchestra we’ve ever had, Worcester Chorus sang our hearts out.

After so much arduous rehearsal, it was wonderful to reach glorious fortissimos on the “Dies Irae,” quick tempos on the fugues, and poignant pianissimos, especially on the final iteration of “Libera Me.”

What the audience couldn’t see was conductor Chris Shepard’s face. They could tell that like any conductor he used his hands and a baton to set the tempo, but what they couldn’t see was the way a raised eyebrow, a nod of the head, or a beaming smile conveyed just the effect he wanted. We are blessed to have such a conductor, and to have the support of Music Worcester, which made this expedition to Carnegie Hall possible. Can we hope for an encore?

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Chorus sings Verdi's 'Requiem' at Carnegie Hall in New York