We were lucky enough to win again (thanks to Mel, Kris and Mer) in this year's annual version of the Mormon lottery -- tickets to the annual Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. This year's featured guests were David Archuleta and Michael York.
The tickets are given away by the Church in a lottery to registered applicants, then (particularly this year) some were resold for ridiculous prices on E-bay. Having a big family with lots of applicants scattered all over the country is all you really need to win, we've discovered.
It was a delicious treat for the eyes, ears and soul. It's hard to put into words what you feel when you settle into your seat on a cold winter's night with 21,000 of your closest friends to feast on the Christmas spirit with the MoTab. The orchestra and choir is sufficient, but throw in David Archuleta and Michael York for good measure and it's hard to compare!
The music is heavenly, the stage was a brilliant splash of a Christmas fantasy land (I especially loved the houses that looked like gingerbread houses, one of our favorite holiday traditions at our house), and Michael York's narration of the story about the early beginnings of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was moving and emotional. John Parry is not a name I had ever associated with the choir, and that's why it was so inspiring.
Here's the story in the Deseret News this morning about the concert.
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| David Archuleta |
Richard Elliott on the organ when he cranks it up with both feet and both hands flying over the keyboards of the organ is something to behold! He's a true virtuoso. He did a variation of "Deck the Halls" you have never heard anywhere else. He continued to play as we exited the building after the concert's conclusion.
So be prepared to enjoy another Christmas treat next year when it's released to the public and PBS television. This year's offering on CD and DVD was last year's concert with Natalie Cole and David McCullough.
The MoTab has entered another realm of musical excellence.
