Phoenix Choir performed their 2023 Christmas Concert on a steamy afternoon in the middle of a heatwave, featuring Rheinberger’s The Star of Bethlehem. Choir, soloists, instrumentalists and audience all deserve credit for soldiering on in the 36C afternoon with incredible energy and wonderful singing all round.
The Star of Bethlehem is a Christmas Cantata, telling the familiar nativity story of the shepherds and wise men making their way to pay homage to the baby Jesus. There’s the Angel Gabriel and its own Hallelujah chorus. It was sung by Phoenix Choir and soloists in a new English translation by Rowen Fox, who also made the instrumental arrangement for a small wind band of Flute (Phillip Murray), Clarinet (Alex McCracken), Oboe and Cor Anglais (Jane Stacey) and piano (Janette Norcott), drawing on the distinctive writing for wind in the orchestral original. This ensemble first rehearsed on the previous weekend and came together with the choir for a final rehearsal before the Saturday concert. Soloists were Michelle Ryan (Soprano) and Timothy Nunn (Baritone).
Phoenix Choir previously performed the work in 2017. It was written by Joseph Rheinberger, a late-Romantic composer with the libretto by his wife Fanny. It has all the silky melodies and lush harmonies you would expect from a work of that time, and comes with moments of drama and ‘rapture’. Musical director, Amy Moore, loves how ‘the English translation makes this little-known gem accessible to choirs and audiences’. And then, as accompaniment, Moore selected some traditional and modern carols and songs to add to the Christmas cheer, including a little sing along!
Phoenix Choir performed The Star of Bethlehem and other seasonal music at the Phillips Hall in Blackheath at 3pm on Saturday 9 December
phoenixchoir.org.au 
You must be logged in to post a comment.