TROY- Troy University’s John M. Long School of Music and the Troy Arts Council will present two performances of the Choral Masterworks Festival on March 11 and 12.

This year’s performance, The Creation by Franz Joseph Hayden, will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 11 at the Claudia Crosby Theater on the Troy Campus and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 12 at the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts on the University’s Montgomery Campus.

The festival features a full orchestra, mixing professional, faculty, and student instrumentalists, and a festival chorus led by Troy University Collegiate Singers and including singers from the Troy Community Chorus, as well as professionally trained soloists, according to Paul McGahie, director of the festival and director of choral activities for the school of music.

The Creation is a Biblical account of creation, which quotes the first chapter of Genesis and poetry from Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost.

“This is a light-hearted, joyful, exuberant work, brimming over with Hayden’s characteristic sunny disposition,” McGahie said. “There are many humorous musical illustrations of things such as windstorms, lightning, hail, snow, rain and billowing ocean waves, as well as illustrations of animals.”

The featured soloist of the festival is Carla Connors of Tallahassee, Fla., who will sing both the part of the Angel Gabriel and the part of Eve.

Connors has been acclaimed as “one of the best young sopranos of this decade” by the Detroit Free Press, and as “a fresh, steady lyric soprano” by The New York Times. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2001 singing the soprano solos in masses by Mozart and Schubert.

In addition to an active schedule of orchestra and recital appearances, Connors maintains a large, private voice studio.

Two returning soloists will join Connor. Bass-baritone Chris O’Rear will sing both the part of the Angel Raphael and the part of Adam. Tenor Roderick George will sing the part of the Angel Uriel.

Tickets for the March 11 performance in Troy are $15 for adults and $5 for students. Adult tickets for the March 12 performance at the Davis Theatre are $10.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the Choral Masterworks Festival, contact Paul McGahie at 334-670-3773 or visit the Troy Campus box office.

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