David Schildkret – Conductor
Robert Mills – Principal Pianist
Vivaldi Gloria
and beloved Christmas carols
I.
Antonio Vivaldi
(1678 – 1741)
Melissa Solomon, soprano
Miriam Schildkret, mezzo-soprano
Chamber Orchestra
AZ Cantilena Chorale
INTERMISSION
II.
Fantasy on a French Carol (Patapan)
first performance
David Schildkret and Susan Griffin
Chamber Orchestra
Four Carols
Carol of the Birds (Catalan carol)
Shepherd, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep (Besançon carol)
Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine (German carol)
Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head (Appalachian carol)
arr. David Schildkret
Carol Sing-Along
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Joy to the World
AZ Cantilena Chorale
Chamber Orchestra
*Special thanks to the Neely Foundation for sponsoring this performance.
Texts and Translations
Chorus
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Glory to God in the highest.
Chorus
Et in terra pax hominibus
bonae voluntatis.
And peace on earth to people
who please him.
Soprano-Alto Duet
Laudamus te,
benedicimus te,
adoramus te,
glorificamus te.
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you.
Chorus
Gratias agimus tibi,
We give you thanks
Chorus
propter magnam gloriam tuam.
for your great glory.
Soprano Solo
Domine Deus, rex coelestis,
pater omnipotens.
Lord God, king of heaven,
father omnipotent.
Chorus
Domine fili unigenite,
Jesu Criste.
Only-begotten son of God,
Jesus Christ.
Alto Solo and Chorus
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,
filius Patris,
qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Lord God, Lamb of God,
son of the Father,
who takes away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Chorus
Qui tollis
peccata mundi,
suscipe deprecationem nostrum.
You who takes away
the sin of the world,
receive our prayer.
Alto Solo
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
miserere nobis.
You who sit at the Father’s right hand,
have mercy on us.
Chorus
Quoniam to solus sanctus,
tu solus Dominus.
Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe.
For you alone are holy;
you alone are Lord.
You alone are most high, Jesus Christ.
Chorus
Cum Sancto Spiritu
in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
With the Holy Spirit
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Into the midnight sky,
a star arose on high
and set the birds to singing.
Into the midnight sky,
a star arose on high
and set the birds to singing.
Earth’s darkness turned to light,
and all the birds took flight,
to the humble manger winging.
To Mary, mother mild,
and to her holy child,
they sang with voices ringing.
The royal eagle came
to herald Jesus’ name,
and called in jubilation.
The lark, awaking, sang;
her song from treetops rang
in a joyful celebration.
The blackbird, dove, and crow
went soaring to and fro
to give thanks for their salvation.
The robins, wrens, and jays
sang morning roundelays
from meadow, hill, and quarry.
The angels heard the song
and joined the wingéd throng,
singing hymns to God in glory.
The shepherds heard it too
and sang the whole night through
as they shared the wondrous story.
Into the midnight sky
a star arose on high,
and it set the birds to singing.
Shepherd, shake off your drowsy sleep!
Rise and leave your silly sheep;
angels from Heaven above are singing,
tidings of great joy are bringing.
Shepherd! The chorus come and swell!
Sing Noel, O sing Noel!
See how the flowers bloom anew,
thinking snow is summer dew;
see how the star is brightly glowing,
love and grace from God bestowing.
Shepherd! The chorus come and swell!
Sing Noel, O sing Noel!
Shepherd, get up and haste away!
Seek the Babe ere break of day.
He is the hope of every nation;
all in him shall find salvation.
Shepherd! The chorus come and swell!
Sing Noel, O sing Noel!
To Mary, mother mild,
and to her holy child,
they sang with voices ringing.
Joseph dearest, Joseph mild,
sing a song to my little child.
Loving God on us has smiled
from Heaven’s throne by sending us a baby.
He came among us on this very day,
on this very day in Israel,
as foretold by the prophets and by Gabriel.
Eia! Eia! Jesus Christ is born to us of Mary.
Yes, beloved Mary mild,
sing a song to your little child.
Loving God on us has smiled
from Heaven’s throne by sending us a baby.
He came among us on this very day,
on this very day in Israel,
as foretold by the prophets and by Gabriel.
Eia! Eia! Jesus Christ is born to us of Mary.
Christians all, from far and near,
sing glad tidings both high and clear:
Love has sent the Christ Child here,
and peace will come through Mary’s little baby.
He came among us on this very day,
on this very day in Israel,
as foretold by the prophets and Gabriel.
Eia! Eia! Peace will come, and peace will come
through Mary’s little baby.
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
you have got a manger bed;
all the evil folk on Earth
sleep in feathers at their birth;
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
you have got a manger bed.
Have you heard about our Jesus?
Have you heard about his fate?
How his mother went to that stable
on that Christmas eve so late?
Winds were blowing, cows were lowing,
Stars were glowing, glowing, glowing.
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
you have got a manger bed;
all the evil folk on Earth
sleep in feathers at their birth;
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
you have got a manger bed.
To that manger came then wise men,
bringing things from hin and yon
for the mother and the father
and that blessed little Son.
Milkmaids left their fields and flocks
and sat beside the ass and ox.
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
you have got a manger bed;
all the evil folk on Earth
sleep in feathers at their birth;
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
you have got a manger bed.
Special Guest Artists
Joining Arizona Cantilena Chorale for the Vivaldi Gloria
are Melissa Solomon and Miriam Schildkret.
Special Guest Artist Melissa Solomon
Soprano Melissa Solomon, praised by Opera Canada as “delightful” and “vivacious,” is exciting audiences as a rare and diverse performing actress. She is currently an Ambassador with Arizona Opera and has been a member of the Arizona Opera chorus since 2010. She recently covered the roles of Sandrina in The Secret Gardener and Musetta in La Bohème with Arizona Opera (AZO). Additional roles include Agatha (world premiere of Frankenstein, AZO), Maria cover (The Sound of Music, AZO), Echo (Ariadne auf Naxos, AZO), Johanna (Sweeney Todd, Music Theatre Alliance of Arizona), Despina cover (Così fan tutte, AZO), Maria (The Sound of Music, Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre), Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare, Halifax Summer Opera and ASU).
Equally experienced in oratorio, Ms. Solomon has performed as soloist for the Mozart Requiem and Haydn’s Creation with the Mount Desert Summer Chorale in Bar Harbor, Maine, Bach’s St. John Passion and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with MusicaNova Orchestra in Scottsdale, AZ, as well as as Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s C-Minor Mass, and Fauré’s Requiem with various organizations in the Phoenix metropolitan area. She performed regularly with the Scottsdale Philharmonic as their Soprano Artist in Residence for many years, and currently sings with the non-profit Songs by Heart, where she connects with memory-care patients in meaningful ways through the power of song. Melissa is a graduate of Arizona State University and teaches voice lessons in her home studio in Gilbert, where she lives with her husband and two sons.
Special Guest Artist Miriam Schildkret
Miriam Schildkret, mezzo-soprano, first sang Vivaldi’s Gloria when she was 10 years old as a member of the Mount Desert Summer Chorale. She has performed the work as a soloist multiple times since then. Her most recent performance of the Gloria was as the alto soloist with the Union College Choir at Carnegie Hall in 2021. Other favorite concert appearances include Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Beethoven’s Mass in C, and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. She has sung in concerts with Arizona Opera, the Scottsdale Philharmonic, and the West Valley Chorale. Miriam’s operatic roles include Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, and Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus in addition to the numerous roles she sang during the five seasons she was an Education Teaching Artist with Arizona Opera. A proud advocate for the arts, Miriam is a frequent guest speaker for organizations across the Valley. She has been a lecturer for West Valley Arts Council, Arizona Opera, TedX Scottsdale, and was featured in the Arizona PBS series Desert Canvas.