Israel-Bound Collegiate Chorale Kicks Off New York Season

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After heart surgery in the spring, the music director of the Collegiate Chorale, Robert Bass, made a triumphant return to the baton Monday night conducting Mendelssohn’s “Elijah.”

“He feels better as soon as he starts rehearsing,” Mr. Bass’s wife, Juliana, said at the reception before the concert at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Bass, who has led the chorale since 1980, seemed in high spirits, and not only because he was back in action. The concert featured the bass-baritone Bryn Terfel as Elijah — who will soon be featured in two productions at the Metropolitan Opera — and was broadcast live on WQXR. The chorus, composed of professional musicians and amateurs, boomed movingly through the story of God’s wrath and love.

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The chairwoman of the chorale, Susan Baker, who is also chairwoman of New York City Opera, gave the 170 guests in attendance several reasons to be excited about the upcoming season. After performances at Central Synagogue (on February 11), Jazz at Lincoln Center (on March 31), and Avery Fisher Hall (on April 28), the chorale will be going on its first tour of Israel in July.

Ms. Baker also announced the selection of baritone Lester Lynch as the inaugural recipient of the Faith and Philip Geier Young Artist Fellowship, which carries a $50,000 stipend. Mr. Lynch, a Juilliard graduate, didn’t stay long at the dinner because he needed to warm up, but he did have time to meet and shake hands with Mr. Geier, a former president of the Ad Council and the chairman emeritus of the Interpublic Group of Companies.

Ms. Baker also noted that Target has become a sponsor of the chorale’s education programs in the city. These include a program that places high school students in the chorus and pairs them with adult members who serve as mentors.

At the reception after the concert, Mr. Terfel said it felt wonderful to perform with the chorus, and in New York. “I adore New York,” he said. “It’s a great city with enthusiastic audiences who are appreciative of music and the arts. It’s second to none.”

Mr. Terfel did however share a glum moment with his friend John Owen-Jones over the Broadway strike that is keeping Mr. Jones from performing the role of Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables.”

“It’s terrible missing even one performance,” Mr. Jones said.


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