Classical Monday--Verdi Requiem live with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

It may have been the coldest weather in Chicago in something like 15 years, but I had the hottest ticket in town this weekend. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, chorus, soloists and conductor Riccardo Muti (left) performed the Verdi Requiem in three performances.

This is a monumental work, and while it is often performed, it is often performed poorly. It takes a good orchestra with fantastic wind players, a regiment of capable choristers, four top flight soloists, and mostly a conductor who knows how to keep everyone working toward the same thing. Fortunately, many of those elements were in place for the CSO performances. Maestro Muti is the CSO music director designate and will come on board with the orchestra starting with the 2010-11 season. This is Muti's first appearance with the CSO since being named to the post. The Music Director position has been vacant since Daniel Barenboim left in 2006, I think it was.

But on to the Requiem. This is a choral work, primarily. And while the soloists and the orchestra have their moments in the sun and would detract from the work if not fully capable, it is the chorus that decides whether this piece succeeds or fails. The CSO Chorus made this work a success. Able to morph their sound from full-throated fortes to hushed unisons, the 150-voice group made nary a misstep.

Likewise, the instrumental soloists were spot on. This work calls for 8 trumpets, four on-stage and four off (or in the balcony as was the case for this performance). There are five horns. Legendary principal horn Dale Clevenger handled his delicate solo magnificently. All the woodwind moments were delightful.

I had never heard any of the vocal soloists sing either live or in recordings. Soprano Barbara Frittoli is a big recording and opera star, whose repertoire includes all of the lead roles in the Verdi canon. Mezzo-soprano Olgo Borodina also has many recordings and a distinguished opera career. Tenor Mario Zeffiri and bass Ildar Abdrazakov were completely new names to me. While all four were very able in their singing, the stand out for me was Ms. Borodina; she was both a powerhouse and musical. All four solo parts are incredibly rangy, calling for secure high notes and robust low notes--Ms. Borodina was particularly exciting throughout all registers.

In a rare opportunity, I also had the chance to attend the final rehearsal of the work, which I found very interesting. I had never been to a CSO rehearsal; it was not like the final dress rehearsal at Lyric Opera; Maestro Muti stopped and started many times. While I couldn't always hear what he was saying to the orchestra or chorus, it was clear there was a lot of respect given the maestro by players and singers. Muti seemed to focus his comments on the articulation of the wind players and the articulation of consonants by the chorus. He wanted very strong final consonants--sometimes too strong for my tastes.

But then I'm not Italian.

Requiem Mass
Music by Giusseppe Verdi
Text from the latin
Presented by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Chorus
Conducted by Riccardo Muti
Soloists: Barbara Frittoli, Olga Borodina, Mario Zeffiri, Ildar Abdrazakov

Sorry but the final performance has already taken place