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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Shirley Luna – April 29, 2004
SFA combined choirs to perform Haydn’s ‘The Creation’
The Stephen F. Austin State University combined choirs and orchestra will present Joseph Haydn’s “The Creation” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 7, in W. M. Turner Auditorium. The oratorio will be conducted by Dr. Tim King, professor of music and director of choral activities at SFA. King described “The Creation” as Haydn’s “greatest and most ambitious work.” “After it was first performed in Vienna in 1798, it became an instant success. When it was performed at Haydn’s last public appearance in March 1808, 38-year-old Ludwig van Beethoven knelt to kiss the older composer’s hand,” King said. The work, which recounts the six-day creation story, contains several well-known portions. “The vigorous chorus ‘Awake the Harp’ has long been one of the oratorio’s most popular numbers, and ‘The Heavens Are Telling’ chorus with solos at the end of Part One is a worthy successor to Handel’s ‘Hallelujah,’” said King. SFA music faculty and students will perform most of the principal parts. Dr. Richard Berry, dean of the College of Fine Arts, will sing the part of Uriel; Debbie Berry, instructor, the part of Gabriel; Matt Moody, Kirbyville senior, the part of Adam; and Valerie Watson, Brownsville junior, the part of Eve. Sam Handley, a member of the music faculty at Lee College in Baytown, will sing the part of Raphael. Richard Berry’s solo performances include appearances with the Kansas City Chamber Players, Orchestra of Santa Fe, Denver Chamber Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony, Colorado Chorale, Longview Opera Company, Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Laredo Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Recent performances include the tenor solos in Giuseppe Verdi’s “Requiem,” Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis,” and Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass.” Debbie Berry’s performance credits include solo appearances with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, the Longview Opera Repertory Company and the Central City Singers of the Central City Opera House Association. She has performed such operatic roles as Violetta in Verdi’s “La Traviata” and Donna Anna in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and numerous musical comedy roles, including Maria in “The Sound of Music,” Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” and Hodel in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Moody, a senior education major at SFA, recently placed fifth in the senior men’s division finals at the National Association of Teachers of Singers convention. In the three previous years, he was a semifinalist. While at SFA, Moody has been a three-year member of the SFA A Cappella Choir and two-year member of the Madrigal Singers. He has appeared in SFA’s opera productions of “Street Scene,” “Falstaff,” “The Magic Flute” and “The Elixir of Love.” His vocal instructor is Dr. David Jones, SFA Regents Professor. Valerie Watson, soprano voice student of Debbie Berry, won third place in the senior women’s division at the 2002 National Association of Teachers of Singers convention and sang “Come Unto Him” in SFA’s presentation of Handel’s “Messiah” the same year. Watson has been a three-year member of the SFA A Cappella Choir and has appeared in SFA’s operatic productions of “Carmen,” “Falstaff,” “A Hand of Bridge,” “Street Scene,” “The Magic Flute” and “The Elixir of Love.” Handley, bass-baritone, was recently hailed by the Houston Chronicle for his “vivid and polished” performance of Caspar in Carl Maria von Weber’s “Der Freischutz.” He has delivered several world premieres, including the music of Scott Gendel, Dan Black and Kenneth Schermerhorn and David Bishop’s opera “Esperanza” which was recorded and broadcast live on National Public Radio. He will spend this summer as an apprentice with the Santa Fe Opera. The concert is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and the Department of Music. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for students and children. For more information, please call (936) 468-6407 or 1-888-240-ARTS.
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