Verdi’s Requiem is sung superbly by the choir and a strong four soloists ★★★★☆

Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem is often described as an opera masquerading as religious music. He turned his Mass of the Dead into blood-curdling theatre, with eight trumpets heralding the Day of Judgment, wailing choirs that evoke apocalyptic specters, and a terrified soprano in the final movement begging to be rescued from eternal damnation.

There is no lack of immersion in TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht during the last Avrotros Friday concert of this season. The Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the Groot Omroepkoor absolutely do not disappoint in the great highlights of the Requiemstarting with the lashing Dies irae† Even more impressive is the flexibility with which they adjust their timbre and tone in order to realize the vision of chief conductor Karina Canellakis.

She builds up her exciting rendition, detail by detail, especially with flowing dynamics. By gently waving the vibrating strings during the Hostias, for example. She lets out desperation in every part, if only as an undercurrent. Even in the cheerful Sanctus she chooses wildness over playfulness. It is sung superbly by the choir, which excels elsewhere in the a cappella passages.

There are also a strong four soloists, which is no mean feat in this work. Riccardo Fassi may not be the ideal heavyweight for the bass part, but he has a beautiful, dark voice. The lyrical tenor Seungju Mario Bahg sings fantastically and Yulia Matochkina is a Verdian-sized mezzo-soprano, powerful and voluptuous. Soprano Sonja Sarić is not completely stable, but her steely high notes rise above everyone in the overwhelming ensembles.