MUSIC REVIEW : PACIFIC PUTS ON OPULENT REQUIEM

The musical forces that can adequately surmount the Requiems by, say, Mozart and Faure, or even Brahms, falter when confronted by Verdi’s outsize, operatic effort. It requires a theatrical lack of inhibition and sheer sonic presence far beyond the usual in oratorio-type performances.

Sunday evening at the Performing Arts Center, those requirements were amply met by the Pacific Symphony, Pacific Chorale and soloists, under the direction of Keith Clark. With a generous boost from the lively Segerstrom Hall acoustics, theirs was a performance of rare opulence and drama.

Which is not to say that every nuance was perfected. From the frequent tussles over tempo, it was clear that there had been insufficient rehearsal to reconcile some strongly conflicting views of the work.

But unlike the little girl with the curl, when Clark and Co. were bad, they were merely incoherent. The tugging, though startling at times, usually resolved itself quickly. Intermittent discrepancies over pitch and attacks and releases also seemed minor distractions, considering the powerful aural attractions of the whole.

Because when the performance was good, it was overwhelming. The assembled forces were capable of heroic gusts of sound and, wonder of rare wonders, Clark persuaded them--on occasion--to beautifully hushed pianissimos.

Soprano Juliana Gondek, mezzo Leslie Richards, tenor Cesar-Antonio Suarez and bass Thomas Paul proved reasonably well-matched vocally and interpretively. All inclined to portamento, exaggerated appoggiaturas and wide vibrato--not inappropriately, as vocal chastity is a virtue largely misplaced in this work.

The quartet--particularly Suarez--sounded best in the more expansive or stentorian material. The soprano part calls for the greatest refinement, which Gondek supplied with easy elegance and sincerity.

The Pacific Chorale provided well-balanced, mellifluous power in its wide-ranging tasks. The singers also sounded well-drilled by their director, John Alexander--an asset in that Clark often left them on their own, a debit when they ignored his urging for a quicker tempo.

The Pacific Symphony played explosively, and special effects such as the dispersed trumpets introducing the “Tuba mirum” had tremendous impact in Segerstrom Hall. The instrumentalists attended to the more delicate moments with equal polish, excepting, regrettably, the coarse final chords.