Since 2007, Xara Choral Theatre has been blazing a glorious trail.
This ensemble of women ages 18 to 30, lead by conductor Christina Murray and theatre practitioner Claire Leger, creates performances that are truly original combinations of choral singing, theatre and movement.
Last year, Murray and Leger founded another group called Xara Youth Ensemble (XYE) for teen girls ages 14 to 18. This auditioned choir operates on the principles of inclusivity, friendship, and positivity (values that are radiated in their performance) and puts on two full-scale productions every year.
On December 7th, XYE debuted a show called Pulse at Bethany United Church. The hour-long program incorporated song and movement as well as spoken-word pieces created with Shauntay Grant to tell the story of the singers’ own teenage experiences.
The show delivered musically (gorgeous harmonies, pure, soulful voices and an outstanding version of “Florence and the Machine’s” Shake it Out), visually (clever colour-blocked delineation of opposing cliques, evocative lighting) and emotionally (an exploration of bullying and friendship that speaks truthfully about the pain and joys of adolescence).
Choral music shows like this are almost always one-night-only affairs, so stay tuned at www.xara.ca for what’s up next.
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This article appears in Dec 5-11, 2013.