Water Passion Reviews

The reviews are in! And they are stellar. Here's just a small taste of what people have to say about the Water Passion:

"I can't quite believe what I heard tonight. It was so touching and beautiful. Thank you for giving this wonderful gift of a concert to us." --Karen Taylor, audience member

"Brady Allred presented the work with the University of Utah Singers and A Cappella Choir on Friday night in the Libby Gardner Concert Hall. To say that the work was fascinating merely scratches the surface. . . . There is no preparation in Western culture for the moving experience that awaits the listener during the chilling betrayal scene or the serenity of the concluding moments. At first uncomfortable, the music eventually permeates the being and leads to an ultimately moving experience." --The Salt Lake Tribune

"I want to thank you again for the AMAZING performance of Tan Dun's Water Passion this weekend. I thought about it - and am still - the rest of the weekend and told as many people as I could to go on Saturday night. Ken and I just marveled at the quality of the production and felt incredibly fortunate to have been in the audience. Our daughter Ruby told us this had been the most memorable performance of her life and we could certainly see why. Thank you, thank you, and the School of Music for one of the most compelling, captivating, and beautiful musical events I have ever seen/heard. This was fabulous!" --Donna White, audience member and Chair of the UU Department of Modern Dance

"And hypnotic is exactly what "Water Passion" is. Tan uses quite simple means to capture the emotional impact the story of Christ's crucifixion has. A violin, cello, synthesizer and three sets of percussion join a large chorus in bringing this story to life. Of course, the work needs the right conductor to invigorate the music and capture its soul. And Allred did just that. With his perceptive direction he made Tan's 'Water Passion' speak to the audience. The listener felt the tenderness of Jesus, the anger of the mob and the horror of Christ's death on the cross. Allred's interpretative talents were put to the test with this work, and he passed with flying colors." --Deseret News

"My wife and I attended the performance of this work last week and wanted to thank you so much for bringing it to our community. We were both overwhelmed with it. I have seen many many concerts, by some of the world's finest and most famous musicians; however, the Water Passion concert you orchestrated was the best musical performance I've ever witnessed. Thank you and all the performers for their hard work and discipline, and thank you for bringing such a fascinating work to SLC. With the exception of Mahler's 2nd, I don't think I've heard a more compelling work on the life of Christ. But as great as the music is, it wouldn't have been half as interesting without the passion, enthusiasm and excellence you paired with it. Thank you once again and keep up the good work, what you do is a treasure to our city." --Eric Wadley, audience member

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