An exciting concert performance, Night at the Opera was given at the Watford Colosseum on Saturday, June 13. The Watford Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra under the direction of their distinguished conductor, Terry Edwards, performed selections from several popular operas by Saint-Saens, Smetana and Verdi.
The first half of the concert was given over to excerpts from Saint-Saens’ Samson and Delila sung in English. The well-known aria Softly awakes my heart was particularly moving and the audience responded with rapturous applause.
After the interval we enjoyed a selection of arias from two operas by Verdi, both sung in Italian, Macbeth, followed by the ever popular, La Traviata, which began with a spirited rendering of the Brindisi duet. The concert ended with a lively performance of excerpts from the comic opera, The Bartered Bride, by Smetana sung in English.
The Watford Philharmonic Society was ably supported by visiting soloists, Patrick Ardagh-Walter, bass, Marianne Cotterill, soprano, Claire Henry, mezzo-soprano and Henry Moss, tenor.
As ever, the Colosseum is a superb venue for concerts of this quality and it is good to see it being enjoyed by so many people.
Ann Janes
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