Carmina Burana

Richard Strauss’s Tod und Verklärung opens the concert with a powerful meditation on life, death, and transcendence. Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana erupts with driving rhythm, unforgettable melodies, and the combined force of St. Mary’s College Belles Voix, South Bend Chamber Singers (with Dr. Nancy Menk directing), the Notre Dame Glee Club, and the Notre Dame Children’s Choir.

Alastair Willis, conductor

St. Mary’s College Belles Voix
South Bend Chamber Singers
Dr. Nancy Menk, director

Notre Dame Glee Club
Notre Dame Children’s Choir

Program

RICHARD STRAUSS
Tod und Verklärung

— Intermission —

CARL ORFF
Carmina Burana
I. O Fortuna, velut Luna
II. Fortune plango vulnera
III. Ecce gratum
IV. Tanz-Uf dem anger
V. Floret silva
VI. Were diu werlt alle min
VII. Amor volat undique
VIII. Ego sum abbas
IX. In taberna quando sumus
X. In trutina
XI. Dulcissime
XII. Ave formosissima
XIII. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi

Program Notes

Tod und Verklärung
(Death and Transfiguration)

Richard Strauss
Born: June 11, 1864, Munich, Germany
Died: September 8, 1949, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Composed: 1888–89
Premiered: June 21, 1890, Eisenach, Germany, conducted by Richard Strauss
Duration: 25 minutes

Richard Strauss was just 25 when he composed Tod und Verklärung, yet the tone poem grapples with one of the most profound human experiences: the transition from life to death, and the idea of spiritual transfiguration beyond the mortal realm. The work reflects Strauss’s fascination with narrative in music, as well as his deepening command of orchestral color and emotional pacing.
The piece unfolds in a single continuous movement but is often described in four distinct sections: the dying man’s illness, his life flashing before him, the moment of death, and his transfiguration. It opens with hushed, irregular “heartbeats” in the low strings and a plaintive oboe line, painting the quiet agony of a man on his deathbed. This leads to more vigorous music as memories of youth wake a struggle against death represented by the full power of the brass section. The climax arrives with a shattering orchestral eruption—the moment of death—after which the texture thins, and luminous harmonies suggest the soul’s ascent to a higher plane.
Strauss collaborated with the poet Alexander Ritter, who later published a prose poem describing the programmatic arc of the piece. While Strauss insisted the music was fully intelligible on its own, Ritter’s text remains a useful guide to its dramatic contours. Notably, Tod und Verklärung anticipates Strauss’s later interest in metaphysical and philosophical themes, which would appear in works like Also sprach Zarathustra.
The final theme, representing the “ideal which the dying man strove for,” returns with serene grandeur, its glowing orchestration affirming a sense of transcendence. In this early masterpiece, Strauss captures both the terror and beauty of the end of life, creating a sound world that continues to resonate with listeners more than a century later.

Ritter Poem

Carmina Burana

Carl Orff
Born: July 10, 1895, Munich, Germany
Died: March 29, 1982, Munich, Germany
Composed: 1935–36
Premiered: June 8, 1937, Oper Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany, conducted by Bertil Wetzelsberger
Duration: 60 minutes

Few pieces in the choral-orchestral repertoire have achieved the global popularity of Carmina Burana. Often used in movies and television today, Carl Orff’s vivid and visceral cantata, drawn from a set of medieval secular poems, explodes with rhythmic vitality, bold harmonies, and unforgettable melodic contours.
Though written and premiered in the early 20th century, the source material for Carmina Burana is actually a medieval manuscript discovered in a Bavarian monastery, with texts dating from the 11th to 13th centuries. It contains Latin, Middle High German, and Old French texts that satirize and celebrate the caprices of fortune, the pleasures of spring, drinking, gluttony, lust, and the transient nature of life. Orff selected 24 poems and organized them into a dramatic arc framed by two invocations of the wheel of Fortune, beginning and ending with the thunderous “O Fortuna.”
Musically, Orff employs a language that is at once archaic and modern. He eschews complex counterpoint in favor of driving ostinatos, clear modal melodies, and powerful rhythmic repetition, all of which give the music an almost primal energy. His orchestration, particularly the prominent use of percussion, creates a ritualistic energy that pulses through every movement, whether evoking rustic dance, courtly song, or bawdy revelry.
The work’s central sections are divided into three parts: Primo vere and Uf dem Anger evoke the renewal of spring and youthful vitality; In taberna paints a rowdy scene of tavern life, including the famous solo of a roasted swan; and Cour d’amours explores the delicate and ecstatic expressions of romantic desire. The cantata culminates in a reprise of the iconic “O Fortuna,” reinforcing the cyclical, inexplicable nature of fate.
Orff considered Carmina Burana the cornerstone of his artistic output, famously stating to his publisher after its completion, “Everything I have written to date… can be destroyed. With Carmina Burana, my collected works begin.” This declaration underscores the work’s significance in his oeuvre and its lasting impact on choral and orchestral repertoire.

About Jana McIntyre

Jana McIntyre is a versatile soprano celebrated for her brilliant vocal agility, expressive precision, and commanding stage presence. Praised for her “dancer’s grace, mercurial wit, and vibrant soprano tone” (Opera Magazine), she has quickly emerged as one of today’s most compelling young artists. 

Recent and upcoming highlights include debuts and returns with Detroit Opera (The Handmaid’s Tale), San Francisco Opera (Parsifal), Bard SummerScape (Die Ägyptische Helena), and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (Pirates of Penzance). On the symphonic stage, she appears with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Grant Park Music Festival, Kansas City Symphony, Tulsa Symphony, and New York Philharmonic, and joins the roster of The Metropolitan Opera covering the role of Elvira in I Puritani. 

Ms. McIntyre has performed with leading orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, the San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and New Jersey Symphony. Operatic highlights include title roles in La fille du Régiment and Daphne (Carnegie Hall debut), Tytania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and appearances with Opera Santa Barbara, Tulsa Opera, and Detroit Opera. 

A George London Foundation top prize winner and Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Finalist, Ms. McIntyre trained with the Merola Opera Program, Santa Fe Opera, and Tulsa Opera. She holds degrees from UCLA and a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music. 

About Johnathan McCullough

GRAMMY® nominated baritone and director, Johnathan McCullough, originally premiered his production of David T. Little’s Soldier Songs produced by Opera Philadelphia which was nominated by the Recording Academy for Best Opera Recording, an International Opera Award nomination, and won the Artistic Creation Prize at the inaugural Opera America Awards for Digital Excellence. He went on to make his Canadian directing debut this season with the Atelier lyrique of Opéra de Montréal with a program entitled “Emily” centered around works written by Emily Dickinson which he co-created. Other recent appearances include appearances with Pittsburgh Opera as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Opera Philadelphia as Ophémon in The Anonymous Lover, and Lyric Opera Kansas City as Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette and Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore with New Orleans Opera and Dr. Falke in a new production of Die Fledermaus with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He also recently performed the baritone soloist in Britten’s “War Requiem” at Walt Disney Concert Hall and recital with pianist Carol Wong as part of the Carnegie Hall Citywide Series.  

He has sung leading roles at Opera Philadelphia, Komische Oper Berlin, English National Opera, Opéra de Lausanne, Portland Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and many more. Johnathan was also selected by Renée Fleming to participate in the Weill Institute Song Studio at Carnegie Hall where he has performed in concert on multiple occasions. 

He holds a B.M., M.M., and Artist Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music and has been engaged as a guest speaker with institutions across the US and Canada including Yale, Curtis, Wolf Trap, UCLA, Young ARTS, Opéra de Montreal, and Pacific Opera Victoria. He currently serves as the Opera Program Director of the National Youth Opera Academy. As a director, McCullough’s work has been noted by The New York Times as “a pacesetter for cinematic opera”. 

About Marcus Shelton

Marcus Shelton made his professional operatic debut in 2000 as a chorus member in Seattle Opera’s production of Richard Wagner’s monumental Ring cycle. He remained with the Seattle Opera chorus for five years, performing in dozens of productions, before auditioning for and being accepted into the company’s prestigious Young Artist Program. 

During his two years in the program, Shelton undertook intensive study of numerous leading and supporting roles, culminating in his international debut in 2008 with the Greek National Opera, where he performed the role of Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. 

Since that time, Shelton has performed in operas and concerts around the world with organizations including Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Opera Idaho, Portland Opera, New Orleans Opera, Opéra Théâtre de Rimouski, Opera Oviedo, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, and others. 

In addition to his operatic career, Shelton has participated in several crossover performances. Notably, he appeared onstage accompanied by multiple Grammy Award–winner David Foster at the Seattle Museum of Flight’s 50th Anniversary Gala, where he also performed alongside artists such as Kenny G and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. 

In addition to his operatic and concert career, Shelton has maintained a prominent presence in professional sports venues. He spent 15 years as a regular National Anthem singer for both the Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Seahawks, and made his Detroit Tigers debut in April 2018. He has also performed both the American and Canadian national anthems at Major League Baseball games, including a Canada Day performance when the Toronto Blue Jays were in Seattle—his rendition of O Canada was later featured in MLB.com highlights. 

About St. Mary’s College Belles Voix

Belles Voix, a select ensemble, regularly commissions and performs new works for women’s voices. An outgrowth of this emphasis is the publication of the Saint Mary’s College Choral Series, a collection of new works for women’s voices, published by earthsongs of Corvallis, Oregon. Belles Voix has performed throughout the United States and has appeared before state, division, and national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference and the American Choral Directors Association. Each November the Belles Voix hosts the annual Saint Mary’s College High School Treble Choir Festival, in which 20 choirs from neighboring states perform for each other and a panel of commentators. Belles Voix tours nationally every other year, and regularly performs with the University of Notre Dame Glee Club in joint performances of major works with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. They have appeared in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1999, 2001, 2005, and at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in 2014. In March 2019 they returned to Carnegie Hall to perform a concert in honor of the 175th anniversary of Saint Mary’s College, along with an SMC Alumnae Choir of over 60 singers, and 6 other women’s choirs for a total of 250 singers. 

Belles Voix has recorded five compact discs on the ProOrgano label: Ave, Ave!, recorded in 1997, Amazing Day!, recorded in 2002, Anima mea!, recorded in 2004, Across the Bar…, recorded in 2007, and O Lux!, recorded in 2017. In March 2011 they toured in Nanjing, Suzhou, and Shanghai, China, and in June 2012 they appeared before the American Choral Directors Association National Symposium on American Choral Music in Washington, D.C. In February 2016 they appeared by invitation for the Central Division Conference of the American Choral Directors Association in Chicago. They were named 2nd place winners of the 2012 American Prize in Choral Performance–the first women’s choir to place in the college/university division, and they were finalists in 2017 and 2019. 

About the South Bend Chamber Singers

The South Bend Chamber Singers, an ensemble-in-residence at Saint Mary’s College, is celebrating its 37th season this year. Over the past 37 years the Singers have presented major choral-orchestral works such as Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Magnificat, B Minor Mass, and St. John Passion, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. Yet the ensemble concentrates primarily on works by living composers and regularly commissions new works and unusual and complex arrangements. The Singers have commissioned new choral works from composers Stephen Paulus, William Hawley, Steven Sametz, Libby Larsen, Gregg Smith, Frank Ferko, Dan Locklair, Carol Barnett, Bob Chilcott, Paul Mealor, John Muehleisen, Ivo Antognini, Daniel Knaggs, William Averitt, and many others, most of which have been published and continue to be performed by choirs throughout the world. Other concerts have featured music from America, Canada, South America, Europe, Africa, India, Korea, and even Mongolia. The choir has joined with numerous other chamber and instrumental ensembles including the South Bend Symphony, the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, and Germany’s Chamber Orchestra of the Rhine; the Chester, Cavani, Avalon and Euclid String Quartets; the Northern Illinois University Steel Band, Quintessence Brass, and Kennedy’s Kitchen. 

The Chamber Singers were selected to perform for the Central Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in 1996 (Cincinnati) and 2002 (Chicago). In 2000, the Singers were one of five finalists for the prestigious Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, given annually by Chorus America, and they won the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming in 2004. Since 1992 their efforts were rewarded by annual grants from the Indiana Arts Commission.  In March 2012 they performed for the American Choral Directors Association Central Division Conference in Fort Wayne.  They were semi-finalists for The American Prize in Choral Performance in 2012 and 2013. 

About Notre Dame Glee Club

Founded by student Samuel Ward Perrott, whose auditions turned out twice the available spots, The Notre Dame Glee Club’s 60-voice, all-male choral ensemble first took the stage in December 1915. So began their enduring legend as the oldest glee club at a Catholic university. 

From their four annual campus concerts to domestic and international tours, their voices carry around the world. Mini performances with a year-round rotation of classic Glee Club selections ensure that their members have something to work toward nearly constantly. Their musical endeavors even allow them to experience the talents of and sing with other groups, building a bridge between distinct cultures! 

About The Sacred Music Academy

The Sacred Music Academy is the ecumenical community engagement arm of Sacred Music at Notre Dame and oversees the Notre Dame Children’s Choir, the Notre Dame Organ Training Program, the Children’s Community Choral Festival, summer programs for youth and adults, as well as parish-based choral and organ programs. 

The Sacred Music Academy seeks to rejuvenate sacred music in the greater South Bend region by providing opportunities for children, adults, church musicians, and pastors to experience, produce, and appreciate high-quality sacred music in worship and concert environments. To sing, play, and hear sacred music is to connect to over a millennium of western music, history, and theology; it is to be in community with individuals in worship across continents, denomination, and time. The revitalization of sacred music in our community connects us with a rich history of children and adults performing and leading worship together. 

Meet the Musicians Here!