‘Magnificent and Atmospheric’ - 22.10.05

[Review: ‘Choeurs de Lumiere’, Lausanne Cathedral, Switzerland] 24Heures, Lausanne et region, 22-23 octobre 2005

Candles and choir in the Cathedral… spellbinding.

A lady from the audience stands up to applaud. She has just experienced an hour-long emotional journey, along with a thousand other people from Lausanne. In a packed Cathedral, all lights extinguished, the twenty singers of the choir TENEBRAE took the audience on a mystical tour of their repertoire. With and without organ the homogenous voices, without vibrato, smooth & pure, traveled through the night.
The candles progressively lit each arch of the building. About 2000 flames clad the interior of the cathedral with a mysterious and ephemeral cloak reminiscent of Christo’s masterworks.

Conceived by Renato Haeusler, the Cathedral’s cryer, the concert was in aid of children affected by Aids. This was an emotionly-charged concert that showed us the path from anguish to peace. By tonight the three concerts will certainly be sold out.