The Verdi Chorus
25 Years of Opera

“Verdi is a composer that loves the chorus. Many of his operas feature lovely, powerful choruses. We bring this passion, and that of many other composers, to our audience…”

Anne Marie Ketchum speaks about the Verdi Chorus, a semi-professional group that performs in Santa Monica this fall celebrating 25 years of singing great opera choruses. Ketchum is the group’s artistic and musical director and has brought her experience as a professional soprano, a choral director and music teacher at Pasadena City College to the organization.

The group’s fall concert will include selections from Verdi’s Aida and Nabucco, plus the rarely performed Prologue from Boito’s Mefistofele. The two performances will be held November 22 and 23 at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica.

“We have professional soloists who join the chorus in our concerts,” says Tom Redler, retired dentist and the group’s president. “Of the more than 60 guest artists who have performed with us, many enjoy national and international recognition. This upcoming concert includes Soprano Shana Blake Hill, Mezzo-Soprano Cynthia Jansen, Tenor Robert MacNeil and Bass Baritone, Dean Elzinga.”

“Our guest artist program extends to our section leaders,” adds Ketchum, “who are fine singers in their own right and add a richness and professionalism to our sound.”

The chorus began at the Verdi Restaurant in Santa Monica. Ketchum was a regular singer there and was asked to start a volunteer chorus from audience members. “It wasn’t great in the beginning, but the members loved music, loved opera, and brought energy and passion. We took anyone who wanted to join,” she notes.

When the restaurant closed in 1991 the chorus members continued on and asked Ketchum to stay as artistic and musical director. They held auditions, and began to focus on the quality of their sound. The group sang in hotel ballrooms, churches, and even a nightclub around the west side of LA until they found the acoustically perfect First Methodist Church in Santa Monica which is their current home.

“Many chorus members take private lessons,” said Robina Mapstone, one of the original chorus members. “The members are really motivated. I worked at USC and took classes in the music department to increase my skills.”

“The demise of Verdi Restaurant allowed us to begin to grow. We were part of the business there. We couldn’t be selective. But when we went out on our own, everyone had to audition. In those days, we depended enormously on our friends and family for both moral and monetary support,” added Mapstone, now the PR Manager at Pasadena’s famous Gamble House, “But in the past five years, we have really come of age.”

Today, the group numbers over fifty voices and its repertoire includes more than 200 operatic choruses. It has taken part in a full scale production of Cavalleria Rusticana, and served as the chorus for the USC production of La Clemenza di Tito. In addition to Santa Monica, the Chorus has performed in Beverly Hills, and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in an outreach concert in Los Angeles, and at the Santa Monica Art Fair. The Chorus also supports the Metropolitan Opera National Council by offering performance opportunities to the Metropolitan Western Region audition finalists.

“We have scientists, doctors, lawyers, business owners, accountants, housewives, teachers, a real cross section of our community,” says Redler. “The chorus members are people who have one thing in common, a true love of opera, plus they can sing.”

“The chorus has reached the point where I don’t have to be selective in my choice of music,” says Ketchum. “If I want to divide the group and have eight voices, I can do so. I listen to our recordings and I know I am in the right place with the right group.”