Video: To honor veterans, Fresno Philharmonic offers ‘Stories of Valor’
The concert: “Stories of Valor,” presented by the Fresno Philharmonic (3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, Saroyan Theatre).
The occasion: It’s Veterans Day. But before the holiday had that name, Sept. 11 was known as Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. Now it’s 100 years later, which makes this Veterans Day very special.
Are you a member of The Munro Review? Win a pair of tickets to ‘Stories of Valor’
The video: Carve out a few minutes in your busy day and watch my interview with Hotoda and executive director Stephen Wilson. CMAC producer Kyle Lowe and I invited them to the Fresno Veterans Memorial Auditorium to tour the Legion of Valor Museum and talk about the concert. Hotoda’s husband is a veteran, so this will be an emotional concert for her:
The program: The orchestra, under the baton of Rei Hotoda, will perform Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem.” This choral masterpiece will also feature the Fresno Master Chorale, the Alta Sierra Intermediate School Chamber Choir, along with soprano Celena Shafer, tenor Vale Rideout and baritone Christopheren Nomura. Britten wrote the piece in 1962 to commemorate the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral.
The original structure was built in a World War II bombing raid. The traditional Latin liturgical text is interspersed with poems written by soldier Wilfred Owen during World War I.
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The podcast: For another great multimedia experience, listen to Hotoda’s podcast about Britten’s piece:
Vonny Rae Sturgeon?
Oh, Donald, Your interview with Rei brought tears!. How beautiful and reverent you both were. Thank You. Vonny