First published in the March 31 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
Miklos Rozsa, Academy Award-winning composer, has composed some of the most atmospheric and stirring music for films, including “King of Kings.” The La Cañada Presbyterian Church’s Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present the original score in its “King of Kings” Concert on April 10 at 2 p.m.
The concert will be presented in person in the church’s sanctuary and livestreamed. Accompanying the musical performance will be high-definition film excerpts on the church’s super screens.
The program includes stirring music of Holy Week, including Jean Baptiste Faure’s “The Palms,” Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “O Clap Your Hands” and Charles Gounod’s “Unfold Ye Portals” from his oratorio, “The Redemption.”
A second featured work is the Vaughan Williams “Five Mystical Songs” with two-time Grammy Award-winning Baritone Gabriel Manro as a featured soloist. Gabriel Manro regularly sings dramatic baritone roles such as Don Carlo di Vargas (La forza del destino), Andrei Shchelkalov (Boris Godunov), and Tonio (I Pagliacci), Opera News describes Manro as “Gifted with a striking, sinister baritone that remains strong, even and sonorous throughout the range, he tears into Verdi’s music with a vengeance.”
For lovers of film music, the concert will also include the familiar music of “Gabriel’s Oboe” from “The Mission” by Ennio Morricone and the title theme from the film “Chariots of Fire” by Vangelis, both accompanied by video excerpts from the movies.
Prior to the concert, at 1:30 p.m., conductor Jack Lantz will discuss the works of the concert, including the history of Rozsa and his score for “King of Kings.”
The concert is free. La Cañada Presbyterian Church is located at 626 Foothill Blvd. Masking and proof of full vaccination are required for everyone attending LCPC concerts as well as all staff and artists working the events.
For more information, call the church office at (818) 790-6708, or visit lacanadapc.org.
For those who cannot attend in person, the concert and pre-concert lecture will be livestreamed at live.lacanadapc.org.
