Clearlakes Chorale invites all music lovers to enjoy 'Songs from the Stage'

WOLFEBORO ― From the soaring drama of opera to the unforgettable melodies of Broadway, Clearlakes Chorale is inviting audiences of all ages to enjoy music, memories, and community at its spring concert, "Songs from the Stage."

The performances will take place Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at First Congregational Church. 

Featuring more than 40 singers from communities throughout the Lakes Region, Clearlakes Chorale will present a lively and wide-ranging program from Mozart, Donizetti, Verdi, Offenbach, Weber, and Gilbert and Sullivan, including the stirring “Va, pensiero” from Nabucco, the jubilant wedding chorus from Lucia di Lammermoor, the famous “Huntsmen’s Chorus” from Der Freischütz, and Offenbach’s exuberant “Can-Can Chorus.”

After intermission, the concert shifts to Broadway with favorites from "West Side Story," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Oklahoma!," "The Lion King," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Les Misérables," and more. Audiences can look forward to spirited performances of “Gee, Officer Krupke,” the lush spectacle of “Masquerade,” the nostalgia of “Sunrise, Sunset,” and the rousing finale, “Do You Hear the People Sing?”

The concert will also feature a special Clearlakes Chorale twist: “Cell Block Tangle,” the Chorale’s own playful take on Chicago’s “Cell Block Tango,” written especially for the sopranos and altos and filled with tongue-in-cheek observations about the quirks of choir life. The sassy number is soprano section leader and At-Large Board Member Carrie Kinzlmaier’s favorite.

“We have taken a great but intense song and made it our own. We have fun together as women and friends, teasing each other and being a bit spicy in a family friendly way.”

One of the most challenging selections this season? “Pray, Observe the Magnanimity.”

“We sing tongue-twisting lyrics at breakneck speed!” Kinzlmaier said. “Luckily it's a funny song and a joy to sing ... if I don't trip over phrases like, ‘Give up the felicity of unbounded domesticity.'”

Tenor Mike Lymburner said he has too many personal favorites to name just one.

“I can tell you that the most challenging for me has been ‘Huntsmen’s Chorus (Was gleicht wohl auf Erden)’ from Der Freischütz. Just the tenors and basses sing it and it is in German, so it has not been easy," he said. "Not only is the German hard for me but the song moves along at quite a pace. Wish me luck.”

“I hope people come to the shows and make a special evening or a day of it,” said Clearlakes Board Secretary Suzanne Morrissey, a soprano. “Enjoy dinner or coffee in Wolfeboro, meet up with friends or family, and share in the excitement of live performance.”

Clearlakes Chorale is an unauditioned ensemble whose members come together from across the community because of a shared love of singing. The Chorale welcomes singers of varying abilities and works to bring memorable musical experiences to the region.

Lymburner, who has sung with Clearlakes Chorale since 2017, says that spirit of camaraderie and joy is what has kept him coming back year after year.

“Clearlakes Chorale has been one of the most satisfying groups I have ever sung in. It is really a great group of people who are all dedicated to the art form and sing with joy in their hearts," Lymburner said. "Our director, Andy Campbell, is one of the most talented directors I have ever sung under as well. He pursues excellence but does so in a very non-stressful manner.”

For tickets and more information, visit clearlakeschorale.org.