Written by Mary Dan Eades on October 26, 2015
Just off a sold out performance of Carl Orff’s fabulous Carmina Burana with Santa Barbara Symphony and State Street Ballet at the Granada, the Santa Barbara Choral Society gears up for its Hallelujah Project. The annual holiday favorite returns for the third year to the Lobero stage December 12 at 8 pm and December 13 at 3 pm with its trademark blend of eclectic and traditional holiday music, performed by chorus and orchestra and featuring the angelic voices of children, this year ably provided by the Goleta Valley Junior High Show Choir.
The repertoire chosen by Artistic Director, JoAnne Wasserman, is sure to please music lovers of every age and includes Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata, Randol Bass’s Symphony of Carols, and a selection of seasonal favorites by John Williams, John Rutter, Mack Wilberg, SBCS resident composer Stephen Dombek and more. There’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
Audience members young and old look forward to the beautifully- orchestrated version of Clement Moore’s beloved classic ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which in past years has been performed by comedienne Fannie Flagg and screen and stage actress, Stephanie Zimbalist.
Alison Sweeney, host of tv’s The Biggest Loser and star of Days of Our Lives.
The buzz each year centers on who the celebrity will be and this year’s selection is popular television actress, Alison Sweeney, host of hit series The Biggest Loser and star of the long-running soap opera, Days of Our Lives. Rumor has it that there could even be a visit from the mega star of the holiday season, that Jolly Old Elf, himself! Kids of all ages will want to keep a sharp eye out!
Hallelujah Project 3 will start your holiday off on the right note. (Actually on a LOT of right notes!) So bring the whole family and make some beautiful, musical Christmas memories together!
Parents and grandparents will love the new $5 ticket pricing for children ages 7 to 17, when accompanied by an adult. (Cheaper than a sitter and much more entertaining!)
Tickets through the Lobero Theatre online or by calling 805-963-0761 are $26.50 to $46.50 and there are $5 tickets for children ages 7 to 17 with parents (same section).
Come get your holiday hallelujah on!
American baritone, Ralph Cato has travelled the world extensively, telling stories in song with his warm, clarion baritone voice.
Tenor, Benjamin Brecher has performed over fifty operatic roles with many of the world’s most prestigious opera companies, specializing in the high lying lyric tenor repertoire. He has performed 16 roles with New York City Opera alone. Career highlights include performances with Opera Orchestra of New York, L’Opera de Nice, Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, L’Opera de Montreal, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, among many others. His orchestral solo repertoire includes Mozart, Handel, Orff, Bach, Haydn, as well as many performances of Britten. In 2000 he began performing the great Irish Tenor songs in a concert produced for him entitled A Celtic Celebration, Twenty years later, the show has become a North American hit with performances with 45 Symphonies in North America. Ben continues his discography having added his twelfth recording in 2016 Forgotten Liszt, with pianist Robert Koenig, and will record a new release in 2022 entitled “Three Centuries of Thomas Moore” including the music of Britten, Berlioz, and Sarah Gibson on MSR Classics. He is a Professor of Voice at University of California Santa Barbara, where he has served as the Head of Voice.
Tracy Van Fleet is pleased to return to the Santa Barbara Choral Society. As a soloist, she has performed with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Lüneburg Symphony in Germany, Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río in Mexico, Pasadena Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Los Angeles Bach Festival, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Philharmonic, USC Symphony and Chorus, and others. She has had many appearances with the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Opera Pacific, San Diego Opera and Opera Colorado.
Born and raised in Southern California, April Amante is a versatile soprano with expertise and facility in repertoire spanning from early music to contemporary musical theater.