By Marcellus D’Souza

Apr 22: The Monte Festival as usual will be spectacular this year too. The 20th Edition to be held on 23th and 24 April will be held physically after a gap of two years because of Covid, which was held online. The festival, in addition, will b telecast live to a wider audience.

The festival is to be held at the Monte Santo (Holy Hill) at the Chapel of the Weeping Cross at Santa Monica Convent.

On the first day of the Festival, The Stuti Choral Ensemble directed by Parvesh Java with Farah Ghadiali, Subin Mathai, Kersi Gazdar and Rahul Bharadwaj (soloists), Nadine Crasto & Smit Shah (piano) and an ensemble of violins led by Eshvita Menezes will render Handels Messiah (Part II).

The programme includes: The prophecy of Christ's birth – “For unto us a child is born”; Christ's Passion - “Behold the Lamb of God”; “He was despised and rejected of men”; “Surely he hath borne our grief and carried our sorrows”; “And with his stripes we are healed”; “All we like sheep have gone astray”; “All they that see him laugh him to scorn”; “He trusted in God that he would deliver him”; “Thy rebuke hath broken his heart”; and “Behold and see if there be any sorrow”.

Christ's Death and Resurrection – “He was cut off”; “But thou didst not leave his soul in hell”; Christ's Ascension – “Lift up your heads, O ye gates”. Christ's reception in Heaven – “Unto which of the angels”; “Let all the angels of God worship Him”. The beginnings of Gospel preaching – “Thou art gone up on high”; “The Lord gave the word”; “How beautiful are the feet”’ and “Their sound is gone out”. The world's rejection of the Gospel – “Why do the nations so furiously rage together”; “Let us break their bonds asunder”; “He that dwelleth in heaven”. God's ultimate victory – “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron” and finally “Hallelujah”.

The Stuti Choral Ensemble was created by Fr Eufemiano Miranda in 2009. Then the parish priest at St. Inez Church in Panjim, he set up the choir to revive the choral music tradition in Goa. Since 2021, Stuti has joined forces with the Goa University Choir (founded by the late conductor Santiago Lusardi Girelli) and currently has nearly 50 singers making it Goa’s largest choral ensemble. The choir sings diverse repertoire, all sacred, including oratorios, masses, motets, hymns and carols, both accompanied as well as a capella. Works are sung in several languages, notably English, Konkani and Latin but also German, Italian, French and Portuguese.

The Soprano’s include: Abigail d’ Silva, Anija Luis, Beverly Mary Dale Vaz, Karen Fernandes, Kay Marlynn D’Souza, Lara Condillac, Leurelle Godinho, Linda D'souza e Pinto, Melissa Dias Sapeco, Patricia Sequeira Runa Távora Aggarwal, Sara Barneto Shanaya Vas and Sylvia Hailley Dias Sapeco. The Tenor’s include: Ethan Pinto, Eufemiano Miranda, Gerard D'Mello, Jason Quadros, Lindolf Colaco, Navroze Godrej, Orlando Vaz, Rudolf Ludwig, Sergio Martires, Shreyans Iyer and Walsh Fran Fernandes.

The Alto section includes: Ameeta Mascarenhas, Anoushka Chatte, Archan Vaz, Astrid Monteiro, Bina Datwani, Bindu Vaz, Claudia Vaz, Corina Soares e Fernandes, Elaine da Costa, Kate D'Souza, Lima Barreto, Maria Cerina Rebello, Maria de Lourdes Coutinho, Patricia Correa Colaco, Rukminee Guha Thakurta and Shaila Aranha. The Bass include: Agostino Fernandes, Antonio Dias, Gyan D Bhuyan, Marc Vaz, Sameer Guha and Vernon Aranha.

On the piano is Nadine Crasto and Smit Shah, while the String Ensemble include: Eshvita Menezes (Concertmaster), Anand Lobo, Anthea Dias, Atasha D’Mello Shetty, Chernoll Mendonca, Gorette Vas Pinheiro, Jeanne Ribeiro, Jeriza Pereira, Judyline Fernandes, Karen Coelho, Leander Vaz, Lemuela D’mello, Lia Maria Fernandes, Natasha Janisa Pereira, Natsalene Estrocio, Nicole Noronha, Pearlyshel Diniz, Rhea Dias, Savio Fernandes, Shannon Fernandez, Velerio Mascarenhas and Yulah Noronha.

The Ektaal Children’s Choir directed by Nayantara de Lima Leitão with pianist Ingrid-Anne Nazareth and violinist Frederika Cotta will render “Hope in Harmony” on the second day of the festival.

The Junior and Senior choirs will sing ‘Ode to Joy’ by Ludwig Van Beethoven. This will be followed by “I am a child of God” by Naomi W Randall which shall be sung by the Junior Choir. Mildred Tanner Preeti has provided the music. The Junior choir continues its repertoire with “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” by Clara W McMaster and Beautiful Savior. The Junior choir includes Anjali Furtado, Emily Souza, Eric Freitas, Marquez Menezes, Naomi Bakhale, Sasha Gomes and Siya Chawla as Sopranos and Lara Veigas, Samara Menezes, Zara Menon and Zara Vales as Altos.

The Senior Choir will render “Where Love id there God is Also” by Joanne B. Doxey and Norma B. Smith and music by Joanne B Doxey and Marjorie Casteton; “Look at the World” by John Rutter; “The Lord is my Shepherd” Music by Koschat; “Make me a Channel of Your Peace” by Sebastian Temple, music arranged by Mark Hayes; “For the Beauty of the Earth” by John Rutter; “San Francisco Xaviera” by Raimundo Barreto and arranged by Vasco Negreiros; “All Things Bright and Beautiful” words by Cecil Frances Alexender and Music by John Rutter; “Svadik Tujem Nanv Marie”, words by Alosio da Cruz SJ and music by Peter-Cardozo SFX; and finally “Amazing Grace” by John Newton.

The senior choir comprises of Elahe Srinivasan, Leanne Viegas, Rehea Fernades as Sopranos; Alana Dias, Adam Pinto, Brianna Shijil, Emily Vales, Fabio Fernandes, Hannah Vales, Hannah Rodrigues, Karl Fretias, Kiara Freitas, Kiara d’Costa and Riane Fernades, Sana Abraham, Shawn Abraham and Tianah Gonsalves as Mezzo Sopranos. The Altos comprise of Aiman Arsiwala, Emily Xavier, Erin Makasare and Gabriella Lobo, while the Tenors include Anaya Pinto, Eranah d’Silva, John Joseph, Kaira Pereira and Maverick d’Costa.

Like in previous editions, the music is going to be mesmerizing while the singing is going to be sensational. It will pitch and ebb at the given moments. It will be soothing and fascinating. Some of the sopranos should create the desired effect. The theme is religious but the music and the total choral support places it at a higher plateau. I cannot vouch for the acoustics’ of the new venue but I’m sure proper care would have been taken for the microphone to pick up every note. Hope the festival will use an omnidirectional microphone.