The choir I go to does some very challenging pieces which is why I like it. Very often when we start the term's rehearsals of the new songs, I don't necessarily like what we are singing, as the songs are sometimes discordant or just plain difficult to learn. But over the weeks, as we rehearse and fine-tune them, they grow on me until I find myself humming them or, worse, going over them in my head at 3am in the morning when I am trying to sleep!
Last year, we did the entire repertoire of Wicked, the musical. At a concert with 3 other choirs, our choir was voted the best, which pleased us all no end. A few weeks ago, some of our choir members invited me to go with them in a group to see the film version of the musical which recently came out. I have not been in a cinema for decades. I have hearing problems which means I would normally sit through a film only hearing a fraction of it. Hearing aids are all very good, but only make people, who mumble, mumble more loudly. It's the clarity to make out words from a string of meaningless vowels and consonants that is a problem. I much prefer to watch DVDs with subtitles to catch up on modern films. As this was mainly a musical and I knew the vague story from the research I had done, I agreed to go along to the cinema with the group.
Oh my goodness. Not having been to the cinema in so long really was a culture shock. Our local cinema had 8 different screenings of which Wicked was just one. The foyer was like an airport lounge with different food stations in a circle - popcorn, sweets, drinks, ice cream, coffee etc. The cinema itself was full of about 150 leather armchairs (ten rows of 15 seats) which could recline so it was almost like you were lying in bed with a small table to swing over you to place your drinks and food. At least, if I don't hear anything, I can nod off in comfort for a couple of hours, I thought. I know this is not something new for most of you, who do regularly go the cinema, but I was like a kid in wonderland!
Fortunately, the volume was so loud, I think I would have heard it a few miles away and the film so engaging that the 2 hours 40 minutes flew by. My group was so tempted to sing along with the songs, but we bit our lips and sang along to them in our heads.
The sets were mind-blowingly amazing and must have cost billions unless they are computer-generated. I came out buzzing. I don't think I'd manage with a non-musical film as the dialogue was still a little hard to hear at times, but it was quite an experience just for the cinema alone.
This is an extract from some of the Wicked repertoire our choir sang in 2023.....
2 comments:
Not sure it would be for me, but pleased you enjoyes it.
That does seem like a challenging song for a choir to perform. I am surprised that you allow men in your choir as they tend to be lascivious sex pests who love the sound of their own voices even more than their burps and farts.
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