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The
Reporter |
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Angelic teenager's concert tops PBS' soul-nourishing offerings
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Public
television apparently has discovered a fact that still eludes the
commercial networks: Many viewers are hungry for television which
nourishes the soul.
One of
the most charming of these August offertories is Charlotte Church:
Voice of an Angel. A 13-year-old Welsh girl who has set all sorts of
youngest-ever records both as a performer and a recording artist,
Miss Church has sung for the Prince of Wales, Pope John Paul II and
audiences around the world. This, however, is the first time she has
ever performed a full live televised concert.
Classic
music buffs may wonder what is up as the curtain rises. Miss Church
is probably the first soprano to bring her teddy bear to center
stage, and she admits her pre-concert jitters. She asks the
conductor how to pronounce a composer's name and giggles as she
takes pictures of her audience before beginning to sing.
When
she bursts into song, though, we are instantly captivated by her
truly extraordinary voice and her transparent joy in singing. I only
hope that when I hear angels sing on the other side of the grave
they sound half as good as this.
From
her opening "Panis Angelicus" (Bread of Angels) to an
Englebert Humperdink tune about his guardian angel, this is a
concert filled with spiritual music. Miss Church not only performs
traditional sacred music such as the Lord's Prayer, she also sings
Andrew Lloyd Webber's contemporary "Pies Jesu," her
signature song. Backed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
and the rousing London Welsh Male Voice Choir, Miss Church sings
comfortably in German and Gaelic and tackles everything from opera
to Celtic music.
In
addition to this stunning concert, the PBS broadcast includes Miss
Church's own video diary of the week leading up to it. She tells us,
for example, that she believes nervousness can actually enhance her
performance. We see her at home and at school as a normal teen-ager
with remarkable ability.
It is
interesting to hear the differing opinions friends and family offer
about her talent. Charlotte attributes her abilities to her growing
up in a loving and music-loving family. Her mother notes that
Charlotte loves to learn and works hard at her singing; some say
that it is simply a gift.
Perhaps
we can all learn something from this television special about the
nature of the talents God gives us; we find spiritual gifts where we
find joy, but then we have to work hard to develop them.
Charlotte
Church: Voice of an Angel will be broadcast at widely varied times
throughout August, so check local listings for the public television
station in your area.
By
Thomas W. Goodhue
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