Oriana Chorale celebrates 25th anniversary this season
The Oriana Chorale is going back to its roots with its spring
performance, which runs May 21-23. When founded 25 years ago, the
group put on Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedic opera
”
Trial by Jury.
”
”
We did the same thing 25 years ago and decided to have some
fun,
”
said Barbara Nicoara, a member since the beginning.
The Oriana Chorale is typically focused on singing. They put on
a spring concert and a Christmas concert, which includes selections
form Handel’s
”
Messiah,
”
Christmas songs and a sing-along.
Oriana Chorale celebrates 25th anniversary this season
The Oriana Chorale is going back to its roots with its spring performance, which runs May 21-23. When founded 25 years ago, the group put on Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedic opera “Trial by Jury.”
“We did the same thing 25 years ago and decided to have some fun,” said Barbara Nicoara, a member since the beginning.
The Oriana Chorale is typically focused on singing. They put on a spring concert and a Christmas concert, which includes selections form Handel’s “Messiah,” Christmas songs and a sing-along.
This year’s concert will include plenty of singing, but the performance also will allow the members to dress up in costumes and do a little bit of acting. The play finds a young bride-to-be suing her potential groom for breach of contract as he decides at the last minute that he doesn’t want to go through with the marriage. The other characters include a judge who has his eye on the young bride, a newspaper reporter, and, of course, the jury members.
The bride’s part will be sung by Rebecca Kincl, one of the ensemble’s newest members. She has been singing since she was young, and performed in five ensembles as a college student. Last year, she performed in her first opera, “Die Fledermaus,” with the Livermore Valley Opera. That is where she met Bruce Olstad, the director of the Oriana Chorale, who served as assistant choir master for the production. She is the artistic intern for the Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale and is part of the Silicon Valley Singers, a chamber group within the larger choir.
Of the current choir members, who number around 35, four participated in the original performance of “Trial by Jury” 25 years ago.
The group was original founded by Jeanna Balda, who was a Cantor at Mission San Juan. According to Nicoara, Balda wanted to develop a community choir in San Benito County similar to the ones she remembered from her childhood in Scotland. She worked with her friend Nettie Fields, a Hollister resident and graduate of Julliard, to form the choir.
Since then, the choir has grown and is always open to accepting new members without requiring an audition or a certain level of experience. The songs performed at the concerts are from a variety of genres, including classical, folk, Broadway, light opera, pop and gospel vocal music.
“Some sang in high school or college choirs,” said Rebecca Pearson, a member for nine years. “Others have never sung. Bruce (Olstad) is an excellent vocal director and conductor.”
Olstad took over as conductor for the choir two years ago. He is the former chorus master of Opera San Jose and still works with other groups throughout the Bay Area.
“It’s nice to have entertainment in the county,” said Gayle Sleznick, a member for 17 years.
The choir members get together once a week for rehearsals, though they do break out into sections – altos, sopranos, bass and tenors – for other rehearsals. They each are spending time at home learning the music on their own.
One of the challenges of putting on the concerts is finding venues that are affordable enough to cover the costs of keeping the choir going, Pearson said.
Another challenge for “Trial by Jury” was finding outfits for the time period and also learning the movement for the scenes, since they will be performing in two different venues.
Manny Amaral, a 12-year-member, said he is looking forward to the chance to perform on opening night.
“I’m loving it,” he said, adding it is the first acting he’s done since a production in of “West Side Story” in San Jose a few years ago. “I am enjoying it and it’s pretty special. I’m jumping at the bit … getting more excited by the day.”
Amaral is one of five Oriana Chorale members who will be going to New York to perform at Lincoln Center. They are participating with 200 choir members from California and 100 from the East Coast for the performance.
He also will be performing with a four-part male doo-wop group called the “Flashbacks” at the Oriana Chorale performances.
When asked what the best part of being in the choir is, Sleznick said, “The response from the audience is so rewarding.”
“Having an audience,” Pearson added.
‘Trial By Jury’
The Oriana Chorale performs Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial By Jury”
May 21 and 22, at 8 p.m. at the Hollister United Methodist Church, 521 Monterey St., and May 23, at 3 p.m., at San Juan Oaks Golf Club, 3825 Union Road.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for teens and $5 for children 12 and under. They are available at www.orianachorale.org, Mars Hill Coffee House, Postal Graphics, Visions of Christmas and there will be a limited number available at the door.
