Adelaide Festival. St Peter’s Cathedral. 8 Mar 2015
This performance of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s Passio – Christ’s Passion according to St John – is incisive and dramatic. It doesn’t come any better.
Passio is sung by a bass-baritone soloist (singing Christ), tenor soloist (Pilate), vocal quartet (Evangelist), and choir. Typical of Pärt’s style in vocal composition, it is the text that takes centre stage and the singers are accompanied only by pipe organ (which mirrors Christ) and four instrumentalists (oboe, violin, ‘cello and bassoon). The human voice is unencumbered by an elaborate orchestration – the music is economical, but rich at the same time. Every note, every combination of notes, every moment of silence is pregnant with consequence and meaning.
Pärt often devises and exploits mathematical ‘formula’ (but not to suggest a ‘formulaic’ approach) upon which to construct his compositions and Passio is no exception. He exploits ‘modes’ and confines and confines various singers to particular sound-palettes. Significantly, and most dramatically, Pilate’s vocal part is characterised by the tritone B to F, which is awkward to sing and has a restless and dissonant quality. This is a perfect aural straagem to underline Pilate’s reluctant role in Christ’s crucifixion.
Carl Crossin again excels with the Adelaide Chamber Singers, and sets a benchmark to which other choirs aspire. Sometimes at the altar of precision is sacrificed warmth, meaning and fervor, but not so with the Singers. Crossin and the Singers attain it all. Bravo. Brava.
The stellar heights that the performance reaches are greatly assisted by the competence and artistry of the musicians. Elizabeth Layton (violin), Celia Craig (oboe), Mark Gaydon (bassoon), Simon Cobcroft (‘cello) and Josh van Konkelenberg (organ) are consummate artists and, most significantly, expert accompanists. Enough said.
But the high drama of the evening belongs to the two soloists. Dressed in a simple white soutane, Alexander Knight walks down the length of the central nave of the cathedral, takes his place, and sings Christ with disarming serenity and calmness. He not only sings the words, but also plays the role. He appears almost not of this world. Knight has a deeply satisfying bass baritone voice with just a hint of gentle vibrato that authoritatively fills St Peter’s to the very back pew. This young man has a wonderful career in front of him.
For me, the highlight of the evening, which is awash with stellar performances, is Richard Butler’s performance of Pilate. Dressed in a crimson soutane, Butler enters from the ambulatory and exudes the authority of a Roman governor. With his rich tenor voice, Butler handles the challenging dissonance of Pilate’s vocal line with great skill. I recall his performance last November in the Singers’ performance of the Messiah. He was charismatic then, as he is tonight, strangely. Always in character, he looks searchingly (but never imperiously) at Christ throughout the interrogation. His reluctance to condemn is palpable. His sadness at being forced to condemn is quite touching. Butler was illuminating in the Messiah. Tonight he is stellar, as is the entire performance.
Passio is surely a highlight of the Festival.
Kym Clayton
When: 8 and 10 Mar
Where: St Peter’s Cathedral
Bookings: bass.net.au
