Music to Die For

The choir’s most recent production was for the Clifden Arts Festival on Sunday 29 September in St Joseph’s Church, Clifden. ‘Music to Die For: The Funeral Rites of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’ was a dramatic presentation of the funeral that Mozart never had at the end of his short life.

Using several movements from Mozart’s Requiem, particularly those that he himself wrote just before he died, along with selected pieces from Fauré’s Requiem, the choir presented a moving funeral mass, celebrating the composer’s life and music and marking his untimely death.

The choir was accompanied by the fabulous RTE ConTempo Quartet, who played a tribute to Mozart, including pieces from ‘Eine Klenie Nachtmusik’ and ‘The Magic Flute’.  Soloists Katy Kelly, coloratura soprano, and Rory Musgrave, baritone, sang the ‘Papageno’ aria from ‘The Magic Flute’

St Joseph’s church was almost full, with a large congregation, many wearing funereal clothing. The evening was a great success, and greatly appreciated by an enthusiastic audience, one of whom commented afterwards: ‘Congratulations – what a fantastic concert! I still have goosebumps. It was absolutely super, a most fitting way to finish a wonderful Arts Festival!’