Cantus: Nine Guys = A Perfect Ten

November 17, 2008.By John Birge, Minnesota Public Radio.

Congrats to the our good friends , the Twin Cities' men's vocal ensemble, for getting a perfect review of their new Christmas CD, "All is Calm." The CD tells the story of the famous WWI Christmas Truce of 1914. Critic David Vernier writes:

With first-rate new musical arrangements by Cantus members Erick Lichte and Timothy Takach, and with dramatic recitations by members of Minneapolis-based Theater Latté Da, whose artistic director Peter Rothstein conceived the project, the program artfully leads, from the point of view of the soldiers, from a Prologue (a beautiful rendition of the song "Will Ye Go to Flanders?") through various stages of the men's experience at the beginning of war--"Optimistic Departure"--to the "Grim Reality" of battle, cold, hunger, and death, and then to the events of the Christmas truce itself....As you will expect if you've ever heard a Cantus performance, the singing is absolutely top-notch, and the spoken parts...are equally eloquent and moving, and are perfectly juxtaposed with and often simultaneously performed with the music.

You can read the entire review here.

Classical Minnesota Public Radio broadcast the first performances of this show last year, and we're pleased to bring it back to the radio again for Christmas 2008, on December 23 at 7pm. Cantus performs this show live at the Pantages in Mpls, Dec 18-21. Classical Minnesota Public Radio will give you a special discount on tickets too.