November 8, 2011, Greencastle, Ind. — The DePauw University Chorus, under the direction of Gregory Ristow, will present its second concert of the season this Sunday, November 13. Titled "Evolution of Opera: Opera Choruses from 1688 to 1976," the program will take place in Kresge Auditorium of the Judson and Joyce Green Center for the Performing Arts at 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
This unique event will consist entirely of choruses taken from operas by Henry Purcell, Johann Strauss II, Giuseppe Verdi, Franz Lehár, and Philip Glass.
The concert will begin with twelve different scenes -- ranging from recitatives and 
choruses to duets and arias -- from Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas. Following these selections will be the Act II opening chorus, "What a Joy," from Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II. The concert will continue with two pieces from Verdi operas: the anvil chorus, "Vedi! Le fosche," from Il Trovatore, and "Va, pensiero," from Nabucco.
The second portion of the concert will feature "Vilja Song" from The Merry Widow by Lehár, with a solo performance by Pamela Coburn, James B. Stewart Distinguished Professor of Music. The concert will conclude with three selections from Glass’ opera Einstein on the Beach.
Founded in 1884, the DePauw University School of Music is the nation's sixth-oldest private institution for post-secondary music instruction and the longest-running in Indiana. Learn more here.