No one tires of a
good story. Add some spice to its telling and hardly anyone will fall
asleep till you’re through. That’s how the MUSON Choir and Symphony
Orchestra held an audience’s attention for three hours on Palm Sunday at
the Agip Recital Hall.
The concert was
Bach’s ‘St. John Passion,’ an oratorio about Jesus Christ’s capture,
trial and crucifixion. Based on the story as told in the Gospel of the
Apostle John, often referred to as the ‘Beloved’. Emeka Nwokedi was the
musical director, assisted by Theophilus Okang.
This version of ‘The
Passion of Our Lord according to Saint John’ was narrated by Tenor,
Guchi Egbunine in his role as the Evangelist. Through several
recitatives, he took us through Christ’s betrayal, to Peter’s denial,
and Christ’s crucifixion. John Paul Ochei (Bass) was Jesus and in the
role of Peter was Victor Hagan, whose vehement denial of Jesus, “I AM
NOT!” had the audience laughing. Even when Peter regrets his actions and
weeps “bitterly”, the audience struggled to stifle their laughter. Uzo
Emenanna (Bass) as Pilate, stole the show from Ochei, whose muffled bass
voice was hardly audible. Thank God, the Bible already tells us what
Christ said at this period. Rightfully though, Ochei’s Jesus did not
seem intimidated by the tough expression on Pilate’s face.
The choir performed a
number of chorales such as ‘Jesu, thou by toilsome death deathless life
art earning’, ‘Help us o thou God, by thy bitter passion’, and ‘Ah!
Lord, when my last end is come bid angels bear my spirit home to
Abraham’s bosom going’. In the spirit of Easter, Nwokedi asked the
audience to join the choir in singing ‘Thy Name is shining on me Lord
Jesus, day and Night.’
The chorales
provided additional information to the narrators’ recitatives. Soloists
Francesca Boyo (Soprano), Mary-Ann Agetu (Soprano), John Eclou (Tenor),
Stanley Okoli (Tenor), and Obinna Ifediora (Bass) performed the
reflections on the Passion, including ‘Chains of bondage that I wrought
me’, ‘My Heart behold the world intent’, ‘I follow in gladness to meet
thee’, and ‘O heart, melt in weeping and pour out thy dolour’.
The same choir that
provided such beautiful musical accompaniment to the story had the dual
role of Christ’s attackers. When Pilate questioned them on Christ’s
perceived atrocities and whether Barrabas the robber should be released
in Christ’s stead, the choir sang out in unified outcry against the
person of Jesus.
The performance
combined stories of loss, hope, faith and renewed hope in a musical
pattern made even more memorable by the singers’ skill. The concert
ended with Jesus having the last word, of course.
In the audience was
renowned musicologist, composer and teacher, Laz Ekwueme, who Nwokedi
acknowledged as his mentor. Ekwueme, also a popular film actor, was
greeted with shouts of ‘Igwe!’ when he rose to honour Nwokedi’s praise.
Palm Sunday is
celebrated among Christians as the day of Jesus’s triumphant entry into
the city of Jerusalem. It is the Sunday preceding Good Friday (the day
of Christ’s death) and Easter Sunday, (the day of Christ’s resurrection
three days after his death.)
The memory of this concert will probably last till the next Christian
celebration.
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