Solstice Singers presents “Sing for the Coming of the Longest Night” at 4 PM on both Saturday, December 16, and Sunday, December 17, at Woods Hole Community Hall, 68 Water Street, in Woods Hole. The hall is accessible to people with disabilities.
“Sing for the Coming of the Longest Night” is a pageant of carols and songs, instrumental music, drama, and dance in the spirit of the Renaissance. Performed in colorful period costumes, the program celebrates Christmas and the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Joining Solstice Singers are Ensemble Passacaglia, Les Enfants du Soleil, and dance teams Vineyard Swordfish, Nobska Lights, and Woods Hole Morris Dancers.
This year’s program centers around the delights of long winters’ nights and the promise of ever-growing light following the winter solstice. The moon and stars and the beauty of snow and shadows feature prominently in the musical selections. The program also includes many of Solstice Singers’ popular “classics,” such as “The Boar’s Head Carol,” “Lord of the Dance,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” as well as some beautiful solemn pieces. Artistic director Lore Loftfield De Bower said, “This year’s program feels both new and old, mixing some contemporary pieces with traditional seasonal music.”
Ensemble Passacaglia will perform period music on authentic strings, winds, and percussion. Members include Jan Elliott, Lisa Esperson, and Tom Hanna. Their repertoire centers on medieval and Renaissance music from European traditions with occasional forays into music of other lands. Passacaglia also accompanies many of the songs and dances performed in the show.
The children’s group Les Enfants du Soleil will participate in singing, dancing, and general revelry. Their repertoire ranges from the solemn to the silly, and they join the adults on several selections. The children range in age from 6 to 13.
This year’s program features several traditional dances. The performance starts with a mysterious costumed dance from the English village of Abbots Bromley. A Morris dance with athletic stepping and leaping will be performed by two young dancers wearing bells and colorful sashes. Another youth group, Nobska Lights, will perform a fast-paced dance using flexible “swords,” with intricate figures and energetic stepping. The Vineyard Swordfish, always a crowd pleaser at Solstice Singers shows, will perform a traditional “longsword” dance of northern England with a fun twist.
This year’s mummers play, featuring St. George, a modern Dragon, and a quack Doctor, puts a new slant on the traditional theme of death (winter) followed by the renewal of life (spring). Will St. George slay the Dragon this year, or make friends instead?
Admission is $25, $10 for students. Tickets are available at www.solsticesingers.org with no online ticketing fees, and at the door if not sold out. Seating is limited, so advance purchase is strongly recommended.
Solstice Singers is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to provide community enrichment by performing music in the style of the Renaissance. The singers come from Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts.
Notes on The Arts 