Hans Christian Andersen鈥檚 Little Match Girl is a story about a poor girl鈥檚 hopes and visions of Christmas, while she lights her matches to stay warm in the freezing cold.
The classic is now the basis for the latest concert from the Sea to Sky Singers, who will perform Yuletide Stories on Dec. 3 and 4.
鈥淚t was a story that I always loved,鈥� says conductor and artistic director Veronica McPhee.聽
鈥淚n re-reading after all these years, I鈥檝e found it to be quite beautiful.鈥�
The idea for the show has been with her for some time after talking about it with her sister, who now lives in the community and performs with the choir. She later brought the idea up with some choir members over the summer and the group started rehearsing in September.
In part, the Christmas concert is supposed to inspire social change, especially in light of difficulties many people are facing in the community.聽
鈥淚 felt there were a lot of parallels to present-day times,鈥� McPhee says.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 very interested in the arts for social change.鈥�
As part of the event, Sea to Sky Singers will be taking donations of non-perishables, blankets and socks for the 麻豆社国产Helping Hands Society.
鈥淲e thought this was the perfect concert to make that connection,鈥� she says.
Advance tickets are available, but McPhee says the Sunday matin茅e will also be a pay-what-you-can event with no suggested donation amount.
The event will feature accompaniment from Jonathan Reich and a few original compositions.
鈥淲e actually have a member of the choir that composed some pieces,鈥� McPhee says.
Member Peach Akerhielm wrote four compositions for the performance, and there will also be classic Christmas carols.
The choir is collaborating with Sara Stuart and the 麻豆社国产Dance Centre, which will perform to musical motifs alongside the Little Match Girl to dramatize her visions.
Then there is Hans Christian Andersen鈥檚 actual narrative.
鈥淲e will have someone reading the story,鈥� McPhee says.
Maureen Mackell, executive director of Helping Hands, will be reciting the text.
McPhee said the show will also present the audience with opportunities to sing classic carols, and she likes to think of it as more of an event than a concert where an audience watches the choir.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to move away from the passive concert experience,鈥� she says, citing the choir鈥檚 spring performance, Secrets and Lies, which also had interactive opportunities for the audience.
However, she does emphasize that the first half of the show, which will focus on The Little Match Girl, will unfold as a continuous piece with no breaks for applause.
The second half of the event will be lighter and offer the audience more opportunities for sing-alongs.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely more frivolous,鈥� McPhee says. 鈥淲e provide both aspects of what the holidays could mean for different people.鈥�
She admits The Little Match Girl can deal with some heavier emotions, but she wanted to be true to the original story and its ending.
鈥淚 did want it to be striking,鈥� she adds.
The Dec. 3 show is at 7:30 p.m. and the Dec. 4 matin茅e is at 2 p.m.聽
Both will take place at St. John the Divine at 1930 Diamond Rd. Tickets are available at Concrete Blonde and Anna鈥檚 Interiors.
