Every December, Madison transforms with the holiday spirit. Charming snowflake lights line State Street. The Holiday Tree stands majestically at the Capitol. We enjoy these traditions, so they persist. Add a new tradition to the list: The Madison Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas Spectacular has become yet another part of the season’s joy.
The Christmas spirit hung heavily in the air well before the music started. Amid the brilliant glow of countless Christmas lights, the Madison Symphony Chorus serenaded the attendees in the lobby while cheerful helpers in snowman and reindeer costumes mingled, handing out programs and candy canes. The show was off to a warm start.
Slowly the lights dimmed, leaving visible only the stage, framed by trumpeting angels suspended above and holiday-themed lighting effects on both sides. Then, almost imperceptibly, the 14-piece handbell troupe began ringing “Bellsong Fantasy,” which quickly intensified as the chorus and orchestra entered in time. Despite a few unsynchronized rings, the coordination of the bell ringers was mesmerizing, as if they were all appendages of a singular organism.
The opening piece actually remained the highlight of the first half of the night. The youth choirs took the spotlight for a few songs, most remarkable of which was “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear,” arranged with the handbells. Then two talented guest opera singers, Jamie-Rose Guarrine and Gregory Turay, also took center stage for a song each. While their incredible voices impressively filled the Overture Center, one wonders how well opera and Christmas music cohere, a doubt especially highlighted by somewhat obscure Christmas song choices (“Rejoice Greatly” and “Messa Di Gloria”) that largely sounded solely like opera. Once the chorus joined Turay, it became more clearly a familiar Christmas piece.
After intermission and more mingling with snowmen, the concert resumed again with the youth choirs, performing an intense piece, “Ding Dong Merrily On High,” and an awkward take on the Caribbean carol “Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy” that was incongruous with the rest of the program. Try as you may, no amount of bongo drums can make the nativity story “hip.”
Returning to the stage, each of the guest opera singers performed a more recognizable Christmas song. Although executed laudably again, “The Christmas Song” sung in operatic style sounds slightly strange and almost parodied.
Without a doubt, the program’s apex was once again the Mount Zion Gospel Choir. Energizing the Overture Center with modern arrangements of traditional carols, the emphatic singing, clapping and swaying of the choir backed by the orchestra capped the night off as truly spectacular. “Little Drummer Boy” and “Mary Did You Know?” stood out as especially well-arranged and performed.
Finally came the most awaited moment, when the stage turned to a sea of dotted red and white Santa-hats for the traditional Christmas Carol Sing-Along, bringing everyone together in true Christmas spirit, young and old, professionals and non.
While MSO delivered its usual high-caliber performance and grace, the music selection was unbalanced and left something to be desired. Disproportionately favoring obscure or hymnal songs, the lack of modernity and joy was unexpected. Hopefully next year will have fewer Virgin Mary’s and more jingle bells. Yet the performance was still a spectacle, as always, warmly accenting the holiday season.
