Southern Delaware
Choral Society
P. O. Box 444
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
ph: 302-542-8387
gr8fulga
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Spring 2013
Opera's Greatest Hits
Standing ovations from large, appreciative audiences at both the Rehoboth and Ocean View performances (April 20 and 21) made it obvious Opera's Greatest Hits was a hit in its own right. Please visit the Bravo page for audience comments.
The idea for this concert was suggested by SDCS member Carol Denenberg, who performed for many years in opera. Carol served as the narrator doing a wonderful job of explaining the plots and history of each work along with many humorous anecdotes. There was a strong resemblance to the above photo when Carol introduced Wagner wearing Brunhilda's horned helmet with the Flight of the Valkyries theme being played spontaneously by accompanist Paul Fleckenstein.
The chorus did an impressive job of performing the songs in Italian, French and German, but it was the professional solosists who "put the icing on the cake." Jennifer Holbrook and William Davenport, a husband and wife team from Philadelphia, have beautiful operatic voices that are wondrous as soloists and even better when singing together, especially the love songs.
Rehoboth resident Alex Helsabeck did an amazing job in his role as the toreador from Carmen. Alex honed his craft with the Singing Sergeants, Airmen of Note and most recently the Army Chorus. He performed Toreador at a White House dinner honoring the President of France. Alex sang in full toreador costume to the delight of the audience.
Interim Conductor Ann Freeman deserves much credit for getting more from the singers than most thought possible.
This concert was a real challenge for a group that usually sings classical choral works. The volunteer chorus of about 50 singers worked very hard to learn the music and especially the text. The result was an absolutely beautiful concert.
See more concert photos in the Photo Gallery
A Holiday Voyage
Christmas Around the World
Audiences at both Bridgeville and Lewes demonstrated their appreciation for our performances with standing ovations. The program included Christmas songs from around the world, many sung in the native language (or as close as we could get!). Interim Conductor Ann Freeman did an outstanding job of leading nearly 60 talented singers in a concert that many attendees said was a highlight of their Christmas season.
Performances were held on December 8th at Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville and on December 9th at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes.
Please see the Previous Concerts page for soloist photos and the songs that were included in the program. Also see the Bravo page for comments from the audience.
Sopranos Fall 2012
Fortier Photography Photo
The Southern Delaware Choral Society was created to bring quality choral music to southern Delaware and to provide singers with the opportunity to enhance their musical knowledge and skills. Two concerts are presented annually with two performances (sometimes three) of each concert performed in a variety of Sussex County venues. John Ranney is our Conductor, Ann Freeman is Assistant Conductor and Rebecca McDaniel is rehearsal accompanist. Gail Launay serves as Executive Director.
This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Ensemble
The Ensemble is a select group of the Choral Society's most talented singers. The Ensemble performs a variety of classical and contemporary music in a variety of smaller venues.
WBOC's DelmarvaLife Performance November 14, 2012
Support SDCS Please consider supporting the Choral Society by making a donation or purchasing concert tickets. Any SDCS member can assist you with donations and tickets. Gail Launay can also assist you. Send her an email message or call 302 542-8387.
Please visit the Support SDCS page for more information.
P. O. Box 444
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
ph: 302-542-8387
gr8fulga
