Share the Stage reflections - Alèxe
This blog is written by Alèxe Finlay.
For the last week of rehearsals, we leave the familiarity of the Barbour Room with Alison Gill’s superb accompaniment skills and move into a larger space where we meet Dinis Sousa, Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Principal Conductor.
All those hours of home study and Chorus director Tim Burke’s detailed preparation pay off. We follow Dinis as he adapts, hones and interprets the music. Working at Newcastle’s Civic Centre was an interesting experience, and we’ll return there again.
The second orchestral rehearsal is at The Glasshouse. The choir is now properly seated, with a clear view of Royal Northern Sinfonia and the regional musicians who, like us, will share the stage with the professionals. There’s quiet tension in the air rather than excitement because, although the project is coming together, this is no time to relax. 100% concentration is needed, and careful use of our pencils to amend and alter the music.
We return to the Civic Centre on a snowy, icy day, where we’re joined by our four remarkable soloists. While the acoustics of the space are a bit different from The Glasshouse, their voices still carry through the room. For the choir, we need to focus on diction, staying on the beat, and showing expression with our faces and voices, never dropping our guard for a second.
Storm Bert quietens down for performance day, and we assemble early in the Barbour Room to practise getting on stage before the final rehearsal. Now, we can see and hear the soloists properly – what a sublime quartet. They’re amazing – I’ve sung in chorus behind Dame Sarah Connolly and Sir Willard White before, so it’s an added delight.
The crocodile of singers enters by both east and west and snakes onto the stage. Looking out, we can see that the house is almost at full capacity – this project has captivated the region, and we know the livestream is attracting viewers from all over the world. The choir stands disciplined and still.
Dinis enters; we rise. He and choir leader Audrey explain the project to the audience and share a little about Sir Michael Tippett. Dinis returns to the podium with the soloists. We stand again, adjust our posture, begin our breathing, and prepare for the first entry. It is a slow burn – concentration, accuracy, watching, listening. Although there’s little time to relax, we take a moment to appreciate Mike Gerrard’s viola solo, which was a joy.
We quickly reach Part III. There’s a change to a major key showing hope from despair, winter to spring and the possibility of a better world. It resonates today as we all participate in the final chorus and then hold the silence afterwards. Only then does the emotion kick in. There are a few misty eyes and a feeling of exhilaration tempered with exhaustion.
This whirlwind project has reached a professional standard and showcased again just what the North East and The Glasshouse can do.
