Once again the Austin Gay Men’s Chorus (AGMC) has offered a lovely gift for the holidays to the people of Texas: some travel from Corpus Christi for the concert.
This was not your typical gay chorus to kick off the Christmas holidays.
I found the performance of True Colors, with the singers all dressed in funereal black, to be a bit incongruous. With the exception of perhaps three numbers, this was a buttoned-down performance. It was reflected in the words of Artistic Director Dr. Thomas Rinn, as he addressed the audience:
“It feels dark. After years of progress for the LGBT+ community, we now face the moment when some of our basic rights are threatened. We are here to celebrate the holidays and provide some glimmer of light, and we strive to share that light with you through this performance.” In the programme notes, he wrote “Welcome to a Not so Silent Night – where we gather to create light in defiance of darkness, to celebrate with fierce joy, and to raise our voices exactly as we are: fabulous, authentic, and unsilenced.”
The concept of light was central to this concert, especially in a new arrangement of Susan LaBarr’s musical poem Where the Light Begins. Harmony was especially evident in this piece, perhaps indicative of how seriously everyone present was intent on making this one count. Rinn asked the audience to reflect, while listening to this. “Just as every voice contributes to the sound of the artistic expression of this chorus, we how that you will take your support for us beyond this concert hall, and out into our community. To paraphrase from the poetry you are about to see: perhaps this day, the light begins anew.” Putting this in context, one can appreciate that even the fun dance part of the evening had a deeper meaning. As you can see in the lead photo an elf is holding a light high above him, while the Grinch lurks just behind, ready to snatch it away. We all know who the Grinch really is, don’t we?
A portion of the text of LeBarr’s poem:
The luminous line of the map in the dark
The vigil flame in the house of the heart
The love so searing, we can’t keep from singing
From crying out.
Perhaps this day the light begins in us,
We are where the light begins.
Perhaps it does not begin,
Perhaps it is always.
Echoing the fate of those who stayed silent in Germany in the 1930s, Rinn said to the audience “Understanding that to be silent is to be complicit, we stand before you, relentness in our message of hope and dignity for every human being.”
After all this tragically important messaging, I will forgo the usual review by simply offering my impression of a few highlights. The opener, Christmas in a Cloister, is set in the 13th century. It is a sheer delight, as a celebrant chants while his ‘monks’ react to a series of provocative statements. One is congratulated on the decorations in the church, but then admonished for the over-use of gold! One of the funniest things I’ve seen at a gay chorus. The song Sure on this Shining Night (by Morten Lauridsen) was remarkably calming. A true gem of a song for a chorus to sing.
Helpfully, the title of the song about to be performed is projected on a wall, so there’s no need to fumble in the dark to read the printed programme (full version available via a QR code). All very professionally done!
And one cannot forget Santa Claus, who was in the lobby to pose for photos. Once I heard him speak, I knew the secret of Christmas: Santa is a Texan!
Lead photo: Elf holding a light aloft, and the Grinch.
Second Photo: Dr. Thomas Rinn (back to audience) with the chorus members using lights.
Photos by C. Cunningham
There is another performance of this moving and inspiring concert, by our wonderful and equally inspired chorus members, this weekend: at 901 Trinity St., Austin.:
Sunday, December 7 at 4 PM.
Visit their website to get tickets or make a donation:
www.atxgmc.org