We recently asked soprano soloist Sarah Crane about her up-coming performances in the Fauré and Duruflé Requiems with Brisbane Chorale.
First of all, take us behind the scenes of your pre-concert preparation. What sort of things do you do (or avoid doing) in the days and hours leading up to a performance to ensure your voice will be at its best?
The preparation time leading up to a performance is really important for a singer. I am very careful to make sure I get enough sleep, as well as enough vocal rest combined with regular vocal practice. I make sure to avoid noisy/crowded venues, and sometimes have to limit my teaching load leading up to performances. Luckily I have wonderful, understanding students when I need to reschedule a little!
Do you have any special memories associated with performing the Fauré Requiem or Duruflé Requiem?
The Fauré Requiem is a work I’ve always loved and as a student, sang in the chorus many times. I honestly don’t think I have performed the Pie Jesu soprano solo previously, but I love to give it to students to work on as it helps to develop a beautiful, legato line in the voice. The Duruflé Requiem is new for me and I’m loving exploring the harmonic world Duruflé created based on his study of Gregorian Chant. The rhythmic complexity of frequently changing meter adds a wonderful element which reflects a sense of fluidity.
Which of these works do you enjoy performing most as a soloist and why?
I think this is a question I’ll have to answer after the performance. Both works are exquisitely beautiful, and whilst there are many structural and compositional links between them, they each convey their own atmosphere and uniqueness.
What are you most looking forward to about the ‘Into Paradise’ concert?
What better setting could there be than the Brisbane City Hall with that magnificent organ, played by the world class organist, Christopher Wrench, as well as The Brisbane Chorale and The Sinfonia of St Andrew’s conducted by the amazing Emily Cox to perform these two beloved French choral works? We are so lucky to have the heritage listed City Hall to perform such works in. This performance will also include a collaboration with The UQ Singers performing with The Brisbane Chorale. It is so important that young singers have the opportunity to be a part of a work being performed on this scale, and I’m really looking forward to sharing the stage with my students from The University of Queensland. I also get to share the stage with my husband, baritone Shaun Brown – a rare event for us to have the luxury of performing in the same place at the same time.
