The Clinton Symphony Orchestra, two choruses, and three guest soloists will perform Joseph Haydn’s oratorio, The Creation, at 7:30 p.m., on Saturday, April 28, 2018, in Vernon Cook Theater at Clinton High School, in Clinton, IA.
Two of the guest soloists have area connections.
Soprano Alisa (White) Magallon, now a member of the Houston Grand Opera Company, is a graduate of Northeast High School in Goose Lake, IA, and was Miss Clinton County in 2005. She is married to Alejandro Magallon, also a member of Houston Grand Opera Company, who will sing the tenor solo parts in the oratorio.
Bass Michael Jorgensen, is a Clinton native, graduate of Clinton High School, and now Professor of Music at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.
Clinton’s RiverChor, under the direction of Dr. Rob Engelson, will be joined by the Muscatine Civic Chorale. They will form a 60-voice chorus to sing with the 50 musicians of the orchestra.
The oratorio was written in the closing years of the 18th Century, inspired by similar works of a generation earlier, including Handel’s Messiah. Haydn chose his text from the Bible books of Genesis and Psalms, and from Milton’s Paradise Lost. The three vocal soloists represent the angels Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael. In the final portion, the soprano and the bass represent Eve and Adam, respectively.
The composer begins with a very descriptive Representation of Chaos, followed by announcements and celebration of each day’s new creations.
The orchestra’s Music Director and Conductor, Brian Dollinger, now finishing his eleventh season with the orchestra, will conduct the performance. For the orchestra, it is the close of the 64th season.
Tickets for the concert are $15 for adult admission, and all students are admitted free of charge . Tickets are available at the door of the concert or in advance at Tegeler Music in Clinton, IA; Fitzgerald Pharmacy in Morrison, IL; Grummert’s Hardware in Sterling, IL.