In a letter from 1822, Beethoven declared that his Mass in D, “Missa solemnis,” was the “greatest work I have composed so far.” The “Missa solemnis” is Beethoven’s largest and longest composition (apart from his opera Fidelio), and yet one of his most intimate and personal. He inscribed the opening of the Kyrie with the words: “From the heart—may it go again to the heart.” A live performance of the "Missa solemnis" is a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed!
The Larimer Chorale is thrilled to present our four soloists for March's performance of the Missa Solemnis.
American tenor, Jason Baldwin, has performed with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Utah Symphony & Opera, Opera Colorado, Austin Opera, Amarillo Opera, Opera Tampa, Asheville Lyric Opera, Opera Fort Collins, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Utah Lyric Opera and Emerald City Opera. Some notable roles performed include: Tamino, Rodolfo, Alfredo, Pinkerton, Tybalt, Pang, Arturo, Adolfo Pirelli, Jacquino, Ernesto, Camille de Rosillion, and Don José.
Acclaimed for her artistry and refined characterizations, mezzo-soprano Sarah Barber appears regularly on operatic and concert stages across North America. Opera News lauds her as a “rich-voiced, imaginative artist” and a “major find”. Ms. Barber has performed with many notable companies, including Central City Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, West Bay Opera, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Opera Ft. Collins, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, the Colorado Music Festival, and the Black Hills Symphony.
Paul Griggsby, bass-baritone, is a former member of the Cincinnati and Minnesota Opera choruses and section leader/soloist with the Minnesota Chorale. He was also actively involved as soloist/section leader with the Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. He has won top awards in the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Leontyne Price Vocal Competition and the Robert Weede Opera Competition.
Praised by Opera News Online for her “…truly virtuoso performance….immaculate tone, good support and breath to spare.”, soprano, Dr. Tiffany Blake, received her D.M.A. in Vocal Performance with a minor in Opera Stage Direction from the Eastman School of Music, where she also earned her M.M. and was awarded the prestigious Performer's Certificate. Dr. Blake's operatic roles include Desdemona in Otello, Marguerite in Faust, the title role in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, and Mercedes in Carmen among others.