Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association presents The Passion of Italy

Sinfonietta conductor Mark Steighner said programming the Puccini Mass came at the suggestion of the orchestra’s concertmaster, Kirsten Norvell.

“Kirsten plays in the Vancouver Symphony, and they recently performed the Mass. Of course, I was somewhat familiar with it already, but I was reminded of how beautiful it was,” Steighner said. “The Mass is actually a very early composition by Puccini, written long before he became famous for operas like La Boheme or Madame Butterfly. Still, it sounds like a Puccini opera. It’s melodic, inspiring, touching and uplifting.”

Steighner said that although Puccini’s Missa di Gloria is a setting of the Catholic liturgy, it isn’t a “sacred” composition written for church services.

“By Puccini’s time, composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz and many others had written Masses for the concert hall, using the words of the Mass for their structure, beauty and drama,” he said. Although Puccini’s family included church organists and others connected to the Church, his Mass was strictly secular.

The Gorge Sinfonietta is partnering with the Voci Community Choir for Puccini’s Mass. New Voci Director Dan Kenealy, and music director at Hood River Valley High since Steighner’s retirement in 2015, is not only preparing the choir but will perform as the Mass’s baritone/bass soloist.

“Over the years, Voci and Sinfonietta have joined forces for amazing concerts of the Beethoven Ninth, the Mozart Requiem and others, and the concerts tend to be standing room only events,” he said.

Steighner said that under Dan’s enthusiastic leadership, the Voci Choir has continued to grow. “There will be well over 100 musicians on the stage,” Steighner said.

The Puccini Missa di Gloria is just part of the program, which includes the overture to Verdi’s opera La Forza del Destino and the famous Adagio by Baroque composer Albinoni. Steighner said the Verdi overture is “brilliant and full of drama.” Despite Verdi’s fame as an opera composer, few of his opera overtures are played in the concert hall. Rounding out the program is Albinoni’s Adagio.

“I saw a list of ‘The Top 10 Most Romantic Pieces of Classical Music,” Steighner said. “Well, I’m not sure that’s true, but for certain the Adagio is beautiful and very recognizable. It has been used in over 40 films.”

Performances are on Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. at the Wy’east Middle School Performing Arts Center, 3000 Wy’east Road in Odell. Tickets are available at gorgeorchestra.org. Other upcoming performances in this concert series include the Jazz Collective Big Band, the Sinfonietta, Stages Musical Theatre and the Sinfonietta. The concerts are supported in part by this season’s headline sponsor, Columbia Gorge Toyota and Honda.