MELBOURNE — A South American folk mass, sung by a 60-strong choir and accompanied by an Andean band, will be the major piece in the "Voices of the Masses" concert in Melbourne on November 22-24.
Over the last nine years, the community choir Canto Coro has sung many works by progressive Greek and Latin American composers. When "Misa Criolla" was suggested for this year's concert, the choir contacted leading local Andean band Inka Marka, who jumped at the chance to help present this well-known work.
Argentinian composer Ariel Ramirez wrote "Misa Criolla" in 1963, setting each of the five parts of the Spanish-language mass to a different South American rhythm. Soloist will be Gioconda Vatcky, famous with Canto Coro audiences for her powerful presentations of Latin American songs.
Voices of the Masses will also include two Timorese songs as a foretaste of 1975 — a popular opera on the invasion of East Timor — which will be next year's co-production between Canto Coro and the Melbourne Workers Theatre.
Songs by Greek composer Mikos Theodorakis will complete the first half of the program. The conductor will be Peter Mousaferiadis.
Canto Coro is unique in Melbourne partly because of its strong and continuing links with the Greek and Latin American communities. It has also worked with local composers and presented musical theatre as well as concerts.
As well as singing progressive music, the choir also has a practical commitment to social justice. "Most community choirs charge fees, but $5 every week is a lot if you don't have a job", said Canto Coro chairperson Nancy Atkin. "So instead of fees, we're looking to cover our costs through getting a lot of people to the concerts."
Tickets are $20 and $15 concession. For bookings and information, phone (03) 9513 9674.
Canto Coro will perform at: 8pm, Friday, November 22; 3.30pm and 8pm, Saturday, November 23; and 8.30pm, Sunday, November 24. All performances will be at the Collingwood College Theatre, corner of Cromwell Street and McCutcheon Way, Collingwood.
From Green Left Weekly, November 20, 2002.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.