Rabihah Davis Dunn, whose voice was lauded as “a glowing instrument,” joins the Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Chorale in Moving Toward the Light.
The Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Chorale present the fourth and final Masterworks presentation of the season, Moving Toward the Light, April 20-21 at the Dennison Theatre at the University of Montana. Rabihah Davis Dunn is guest soloist.
This spellbinding spring concert offers an introspective journey through the realms of spirituality and human emotion, through the universal language of music.
The concert features Igor Stravinsky’s haunting Funeral Song, Op. 5, a poignant homage to his mentor Rimsky-Korsakov, offering insight into Stravinsky’s early development and his deep connection to Russian music.
Audiences will also experience Francis Poulenc’s celebrated Gloria, a radiant orchestral and choral masterpiece that serves as a vivid celebration of vitality and spirit. The composition, brimming with energy, invites concertgoers to welcome joy, embrace resilience, and celebrate the essence of life. Reflecting the renewal characteristic of spring, it encapsulates a powerful sense of optimism and the boundless possibilities that accompany each new beginning.
Rounding out the program is John Rutter’s contemporary Requiem, a deeply moving work that offers solace and hope through its lush harmonies and balanced fusion of tradition and modernity. Composed in 1985, Rutter’s Requiem resonates with audiences worldwide by conveying a sense of comfort and renewal in the face of mortality.
Featured soloist in Poulenc’s Gloria and Rutter’s Requiem is soprano Rabihah Davis Dunn, whose voice was lauded as “a glowing instrument” by San Francisco Classical Voice after her performance of Leïla in Bizet’s Pearl Fishers with Pocket Opera.
Past opera roles include Donna Anna, and the title role in Lucrezia Borgia Lucia di Lamermoor with Pocket Opera. Past oratorio appearances include Beethoven’s Mass in C Major with Masterworks Chorale, Ein Deutsches Requiem in Los Angeles to name a few, as well as international oratorio engagements with the London Pro Arte Orchestra
The award-winning vocalist has worked with conductors around the world, including Jane Glover, Sir Colin Davis, Steuart Bedford and John DeMain.
She holds degrees from the University of Southern California, University of Michigan and the Royal Academy of Music in London. She is also an alum of both Chicago Opera Theater and Chautauqua Opera Young Artists Programs.
Currently, Rabihah sings with the EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble, an ensemble for Black and LatinX singers within the Sphinx Organization in Michigan. She serves on the Board with Pocket Opera, is the Administrative Manager for the San Francisco Girls Chorus, and is a participant of the inaugural cohort of Chorus America’s Executive Leadership Academy.
Moving Toward the Light performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available online.