By George Basler
The Madrigal Choir of Binghamton will bring the holiday performance season to a close this weekend with the return of its popular “Ceremony and Celebration of 12th Night.” Performances are at 4 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 7) at Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church in Binghamton and 4 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 8) at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Greene.
The concert features singers in Elizabethan costumers performing sacred and secular music of Christmas, Epiphany, Saturnalia and Solstice to bid a festive farewell to the old year and welcome in the new. Readings and early instruments are part of the program.
The program is returning after an absence of several years. It had been scheduled to resume during the last holiday season but was canceled because of COVID.
Staging the concert is complicated, because the singers had to rehearse for the event at the same time as they rehearsed for “Lessons and Carols for Christmas,” performed in early December, said Bruce Borton, the choir’s director.
But the work is worth it, he noted: “It seems to be a really popular program, so we decided to try it again this year.”
There is one change. For the first time, the choir will be performing in Greene in addition to Binghamton. “We thought it would be a popular enough program, and we’re trying to get out of town (Binghamton) as much as we can,” Borton said. The two concerts are being supported by a grant from the Broome County Arts Council.
IF YOU GO: Tickets at $20 are available on the Madrigal Choir’s website, www.madrigalchoir.com. Tickets (including student tickets) also will be available at the door. Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church is located at 44 Main St., Binghamton. The Church of the Immaculate Conception is located at 1108 State Highway 206, Greene
