Fusing three choral groups

Elia Powers

First things first. Eliza Rubenstein has to figure out how to fit all

80 performers into one room. After that, she can focus on the real

task -- fusing three choral groups into one synchronized sound.

Pardon Rubenstein if she’s a tad wired this weekend; she is in

concert mode. For the Orange County Women’s Chorus’ artistic

director, that means staying awake until 2 a.m. to finalize details

and conceptualize the shows.

Her chorus, comprising more than 30 women, joins the Costa

Mesa-based All-American Boys Chorus and UC Irvine-based choral group

Men in Blaque today at Newport Harbor Lutheran Church and Sunday at

Concordia University’s Performing Arts Center.

“This is the biggest concert we’ve ever done,” Rubenstein said.

“It’s an exciting time for us.”

A collection of musicians and vocal soloists will accompany the

performers to present “Carmina Burana,” a popular choral piece

composed by Carl Orff. The concert will last at least 90 minutes,

said Rubenstein, who has been director since 2000.

She described “Carmina Burana” as a “guilty pleasure,” an hourlong

piece of choral music that lacks a profound message but is packed

with fun, energetic moments.

Orff took sections of a text that was written in the 1930s and set

it to modern music. While the poems were written at a monastery in

Bavaria, Rubenstein said the themes of the piece aren’t what one

would expect.

The piece is lustful and loud and focuses on the feelings of

springtime, she said. The performers will be singing in Latin, German

and French.

“There are a few pieces everyone should perform before they die,”

Rubenstein said. “This is one of them.”

Group member Rachel Anguiano said she has performed “Carmina”

twice before. The 25-year-old Orange resident said she is looking

forward to hearing what this version sounds like with a dual piano

arrangement.

“It’s such a fun, raucous piece,” Anguiano said. “Every time it

sounds a little different.”

Mary Watson, an Orange County Women’s Chorus founding member, said

that two years ago, the group wouldn’t have been able to handle

“Carmina.”

“We didn’t have the vocal ability,” she said.

Rubenstein’s instruction has made the difference, Watson said.

But even Rubenstein knew the group couldn’t handle “Carmina”

alone; male voices were needed to replicate Orff’s arrangement.

The Orange County Women’s Chorus is used to making the rounds on

its own. Last year, the group performed at Disney Concert Hall’s

Redcat Theatre and at Pacific Chorale’s First Invitational Choral

Festival.

In February 2004, the chorus was one of 19 groups to be invited to

the American Choral Directors’ Assn. convention in Las Vegas.

“That was a big benchmark for us,” Rubenstein said. “It meant we

had arrived.”

Still, the group couldn’t avoid one punch line:

“There was the obvious joke: ‘What does a women’s chorus wear in

Las Vegas?’” she said.