Heavenly. Epic. Wonderful. These are all words used to describe the Dec. 12 performance of Handel's Messiah, held at Battleford United Church.
The church was filled to capacity as people young and old turned out for what was to be a performance to remember.
The Battlefords' own Gallery Singers, directed by Dianne Gryba, teamed up with the Saskatoon Chamber Singers, directed by James Hawn, and the Saskatoon Symphony Chamber Orchestra.
Conducted by Maestro Victor Sawa, the group was joined by guest artists Mary Joy Nelson, Michael Harris, Jordie Hughton and Lisa Hornung, a mezzo-soprano who is a source of pride for her home community of the Battlefords.
As he stepped on to the podium, amidst applause, Sawa asked the audience if they knew why traditionally everyone stands up during the Hallelujah chorus.
During the first London performance of Messiah in 1743, King George stood up and remained standing during the Hallelujah chorus. At the time, royal protocol dictated that when the king stood, everyone in his presence also stood up.
Although no one is certain why the king stood up, the most commonly accepted explanation is that he was moved by the performance and stood in respect of the composer.
Sawa jokingly said the king likely had to use the washroom, adding since Hallelujah comes just before the intermission, standing ensures the audience is up and ready to dash to the bathroom.
Not only did the audience in the Battlefords United Church obligingly stand during the Hallelujah chorus, but while the final notes of the last chorus resounded in the air, the sold-out crowd rose to their feet, giving the performers before them an enthusiastic standing ovation.
Rob Rongve and Heath Gabruch of RBC Dominion Securities, who funded the production, were then asked onto the podium to much applause.
Over a year ago, Rongve was listening to a radio program and heard the general manager of the symphony say they wanted to start performing in outlying communities.
Rongve and Gabruch decided they would like to see a performance of that caliber in the Battlefords and contacted the Saskatoon symphony. After about a year of organization, their plans became reality.
"It worked out perfect with the Christmas season," said Gabruch of the timing.
Gabruch added the performance was unbelievable, and he was more than happy with the turnout for the event.
"Obviously, there's a desire for people to see these types of performances in town," said Gabruch.
As Gabruch and Rongve are co-chairs of the CUPlex fundraising committee, Rongve took the opportune moment to remind the audience of the project, which includes the Dekker Centre for Performing Arts.
A booth was set up in the foyer for people to make donations to the project.
SIDEBAR
Hailing from Montreal, Victor Sawa is a maestro of international renown, having directed the Regina Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sudbury Symphony and the North Bay Symphony, to name a few.
Sawa has a number of accomplishments under his belt, including not one, not two, but three Canada Council Awards and a Grammy Award - and all this from a man who didn't pick up an instrument until he was 14 and thought he'd give the clarinet a go.
"The music is the attraction, really," said the down-to-earth, approachable man.
Sawa is currently the music director and conductor of the Sudbury and Regina symphonies, and has recently been hired on as the Saskatoon orchestra's music director for the 2010-2011 season.
"It looked like a worthwhile cause," he said, explaining the Saskatoon Symphony, much like the Regina Symphony when he first came on board, is a "work in progress."
Sawa, whose favourite composer is Gustav Mahler, said he conducts for the pleasure of it; he enjoys having fun.
"I'm not a serious maestro at all," he said.
Sawa had been to the Battlefords once before, when he was touring as a clarinetist, and said he enjoyed his visit this time, especially having dinner at Pennydale Junction - although he joked the waitress wasn't quite prepared for 28 people to get up to pay all at once.
As for conducting Messiah in the hot, crowded, and relatively small venue of the Battleford United Church?
"It is always an honour to stand on that podium," said Sawa.
