David Richards, Ontario Arts Review

Last night, the near capacity audience at Koerner Hall stepped out of the reality of today’s world of global waste and desecration to celebrate the wonders of life on this planet. The Creation, an opera-like oratorio by Franz Josef Haydn, was written at a time when the Genesis story was unquestioned. Nevertheless, in 2016, it inspired the audience to consider the “six day” evolution from the chaos of nothingness to our glorious world minus the industrial pollution, human tragedies, and global warfare. So it was that the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMC) created an evening of spectacular bliss.

Conductor Noel Edison has lived with Haydn’s masterpiece for the better part of his adult life. He has performed it with his Elora Festival Singers at the Elora Festival, but only once with TMC some 8 years ago. He successfully highlighted the drama and humour in the work with uplifting results. Edison created a symphonic sound of magnificent proportions with the 135 voice choir and the Festival Orchestra.

Read the full review online.