4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
A Celestial Triumph
The Bangkok Combined Choir and Orchestra (BCCO) delivered a performance of transcendent beauty late last month, presenting Haydn's The Creation for the very first time in the choir's 70-year history -- to a full house.
For Assoc Prof Dr Charunee Hongcharu, one of Thailand's most respected female conductors, the concert was more than just a musical event -- it was a profound celebration of divine creation and universal harmony.
The scale was majestic: 102 choristers and 47 musicians, all volunteers, from across the globe -- including Thailand, Korea, the Philippines, France, Singapore, the United States and African nations -- united to bring to life Haydn's oratorio, inspired by the Book Of Genesis, Psalms, and Milton's Paradise Lost.
Their combined artistry, supported by a superb cast of soloists -- Barbara Zion (Gabriel), Aritach Tantipanjwit (Uriel), Kittinant Chinsamran (Raphael and Adam) and Manasanun Aksornteang (Eve) -- captured every nuance of Haydn's score, from the dramatic emergence of light to the joyous creation of birds, lions, oceans and humankind.
As the final notes faded into air, the audience erupted into thunderous applause, hands clapping like rolling thunder in a spontaneous ovation that echoed the celestial majesty of the performance itself.
What resonated most deeply was not only the musical brilliance but the thematic message: The Creation calls us to reflect on the splendour of nature, the dignity of human life and the divine harmony from which all things arise. In a time of division and unrest, this work reminds us of our shared origins -- and the peace and beauty we were meant to embody.
This mid-year concert was made possible through the groundbreaking patronage of whose recent commitment to the arts has already left a profound mark on Bangkok's cultural landscape. Their support enabled BCCO's diverse ensemble to offer this powerful gift to the public -- completely free of charge.
By evening's end, the hall stood still in awe. In sound and spirit, The Creation had been reborn -- not just as a masterwork of the Enlightenment, but as a living testament to unity, beauty and hope. Looking ahead, music lovers should mark their calendars for BCCO's cherished year-end tradition -- Handel's Messiah -- tentatively scheduled for Dec 13 and 14. It promises to be another uplifting and unmissable experience.
