REHEARSALS for Ballarat\u2019s oldest community choir have been reaching full voice in preparation for a mid-year concert led by Victorian Opera.<\/p>\n
Readying for the company\u2019s The Big Sing performance in June, members of the Ballarat Choral Society had their second of six practice sessions with VO artistic director Richard Mills recently.<\/p>\n
BCS\u2019s acting president Ruth Sprague said the event will be an important one for the group\u2019s more than 40 participating members.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been very excited. We started about three weeks ago on our own and our first practice with Richard was last Saturday,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pieces have been selected to suit our choir and Richard\u2019s done a great job at selecting pieces we can learn in a relatively short space of time.<\/p>\n
\u201cVO are hoping it will be on an annual basis hopefully even around Begonia Festival time, so this is the first opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
BCS\u2019 performance will entail six choruses with accompaniment provided by the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n
Rehearsals have been taking place on Saturdays and Sundays with Victorian Opera at Loreto College\u2019s Abbey Theatre with the Ballarat Choral Society\u2019s additional sessions happening each Wednesday at Buninyong\u2019s Masonic Hall.<\/p>\n
Mills said their collaboration showcases VO\u2019s commitment to Ballarat.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t make art in a vacuum and the last thing we want is a professional company from Melbourne coming up and throwing their weight around in Ballarat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to work for and with this community to make something meaningful. In the following years in 2024 and 2025 we\u2019ll do a mainstage work at Her Majesty\u2019s Theatre.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the interim, there\u2019ll be always in the Ballarat Opera Festival a vehicle for community participation.\u201d<\/p>\n
BCS musical director Helen Duggan is conducting their Wednesday rehearsals, and said there\u2019s been a good dynamic between hers and Mills\u2019 rehearsal offerings.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re learning the notes quite quickly and it\u2019s about getting the sound and the style right,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a singer so I can really help with the vocal production and Richard\u2019s dynamite on the operatic and expressive aspect so we\u2019re lucky we\u2019ve got him because it\u2019ll be a really good experience for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Big Sing performance is set to take place at Civic Hall on Sunday, 11 June.<\/p>\n
Ballarat Choral Society members will collaborate with Victorian Opera for a Mother\u2019s Day Soiree in May with funds going towards the Ballarat Arts Foundation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
REHEARSALS for Ballarat\u2019s oldest community choir have been reaching full voice in preparation for a mid-year concert led by Victorian Opera. Readying for the company\u2019s The Big Sing performance in June, members of the Ballarat Choral Society had their second of six practice sessions with VO artistic director Richard Mills recently. BCS\u2019s acting president Ruth […]<\/p>\n