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Whitbourn’s Annelies

11th November 2018 @ 3:00 pm

Annelies, a major choral work based on The Diary of Anne Frank and composed by James Whitbourn, will be performed by the Riverside Choral Society at Congregation Rodeph Sholom on November 11 at 3pm.  The Riverside Choral Societywill present the oratorio as both a reminder of the past and a meditation about the present.

The libretto is derived principally from Frank’s diary, kept between 1942 and 1944, when she and her family hid from the Nazi occupiers in a secret warehouse annex. Through her window Anne observes the beauty of the natural world and the inhumanity of the Nazi occupier.

Annelies is the first choral setting of the Diary authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation.  Whitbourn’s sensitive settings complement the teenager’s sensitivity and remarkable understanding of incomprehensible events. Whitbourn’s music, which has been described as “woundingly beautiful,” is scored for solo soprano, two mixed choruses and a ensemble of cello, clarinet, piano and violin.

The Riverside Choral Society will be led by Director Patrick Gardner, who together present finely tuned performances of great classical works and have performed major works by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, Fauré, Harrison, Shostakovich and many others at major concert halls throughout New York City.

Grammy-winning American soprano Ilana Davidson, will be the soloist, bringing her crystalline sound, assured musicality and interpretive insight this special piece. At one time, Ms. Davidson resided in The Netherlands, close to the Anne Frank Huis, and would walk by it frequently thinking of Anne and thanking her for her precious gift to this world. She says of Annelies, “The keen dichotomy between the horrors of Anne’s experience and the wisdom, hope, and beauty of a young girl with a vision for humanity is an honor to portray”.

Location and time:
Congregation Rodeph Sholom,
7 West 83rd Street, New York City
On Sunday, November 11, 2018, at 3 p.m.
For tickets please visit: Riversidechoral