Concert review

SOV: An oratorio at Easter

The Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra thrilled the audience with "Paulus", a rarely performed oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. This was not least thanks to the participation of the Vienna Singakademie. 

This weekend, "Paulus" was performed as subscription concert no. 5 in Feldkirch and Bregenz, and next Sunday, April 14, the SOV will perform it at the Konzerthaus Wien. A great honor for our state orchestra! This was cleverly arranged through collaboration with the choir of the Vienna Singakademie and its longstanding director Heinz Ferlesch, who already gave a convincing performance of Handel's "Jephtha" at the Kornmarkt in Bregenz a few years ago.

"Paulus" is the first oratorio that Felix Mendelssohn wrote. His interest in Handel and Bach in particular is still strongly reflected here. He later composed the much more popular "Elijah", and this trilogy was to be completed with the work "Christus", which, however, remained unfinished due to Mendelssohn's early death.

The plot of "Paul" is not exactly gripping for us today - the second part in particular is about the conversion of the "heathens" - so a strong musical paw is needed to bring its qualities to light. The Vorarlberg performance provided these all along the line: the soloist ensemble with singers of international standing provided brilliance. There was Florian Bösch, who created unmistakably pithy goosebump moments as Paulus, then Benjamin Bruns as a brightly radiant tenor and Paul's companion. The beautiful-voiced alto Patrizia Nolz unfortunately only had a small part. Last but not least is the full-bodied soprano of Vera-Lotte Boecker, who we can still hear this year as Agathe in Freischütz on the Seebühne.

Almost half of the work is taken up by the choir, and here the Wiener Singakademie was able to inspire across the board. Whether in the large choruses, some with fugue passages, whether in the pious chorales or the delicate pianissimo of the female choir (!), which represents the voice of God in Paul's enlightenment, the Vienna Singakademie always presented itself with a beautiful sound, balanced and perfectly articulated.

The Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra effortlessly maintains this level. It is able to confidently fulfill the differentiated dynamics and clear phrasing that Heinz Ferlesch demands from the conductor's podium with lively gestures and delivers wonderful solos. The tenor aria with solo cello by Luis Zorita Gonzáles is representative of this. The audience in the Montforthaus Feldkirch responded enthusiastically.