Review: Enthralling ‘Carmina Burana’ boasts powerful vocal performances

After hearing the Spokane Symphony and Chorale’s performance of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” on Saturday evening, my only complaint was that the orchestra didn’t immediately reset and start again from the beginning.

You might expect a 25-movement oratorio to drag, but, in this performance, nothing could’ve been further from the truth. The audience was enthralled from start to finish and full of cheers before the music had even begun.

Before I knew it, we’d reached the middle, and not long after, we were all jumping to our feet. Granted, standing ovations are not uncommon when it comes to Spokane Symphony performances, but this one felt particularly deserved.

The opening “O Fortuna,” led by symphony music director James Lowe, immediately grabs your attention, and each movement after flows almost seamlessly into the next, an unwavering sense of momentum propelling you onward. The piece has its dark moments, but, more than anything, it was the joy of it all that really stuck with me.

First, I have to shout out director Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah and the Spokane Symphony Chorale for the stellar enunciation. You could hear every word.

As each of the concert’s featured soloists took the stage, there was nary a dull moment. The piece is a real test of technique and stamina for any singer. But with all of the fun the soloists were clearly having, you’d never tell.

Shouldering the bulk of the vocal solos, baritone Aaron Agulay consistently brought new energy to the stage with each movement. Tenor Christopher Pfund’s brief, vocally stratospheric appearance as the swan who “once lived in lakes” was absurd, and I loved every second of it.

And, finally, I don’t quite have the words, but hearing soprano Dawn Wolski’s “In trutina” near the end of the third section was really something else. The whole stage positively sparkled as she sang; it was infectious, and I couldn’t stop smiling.