Musical Arts Society features familiar soloist

Friday, Nov. 12, 2004 | 9:46 a.m.

A little more than 10 years ago while attending a Haydn festival in Eisenstadt, Austria, Doug Peterson came across an American soprano who stopped him in his tracks.

Soon after, Amy Cofield was in Las Vegas performing as guest soloist with the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society. She would return many times, eventually performing in the company's production of Mendelssohn's "Elijah."

This weekend, Cofield returns for her eighth performance with the 42-year-old Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society in its season opener, "Choral and Symphonic Delights!"

Aptly titled, the concert at Artemus Ham Hall will feature a 60-voice choir and 38-piece orchestra presenting Mendelssohn's "As the Hart Pants" (also known as "Psalm 42"), Haydn's "Mariazeller Mass" and "Jupiter," and Mozart's "Symphony No. 41."

"You can't beat Haydn and Mendelssohn," Cofield said, referring to the program, via telephone from Bogota, N.J. "In 'Psalm 42' there are some beautiful soprano solos, heartfelt solos, similar to 'Elijah.' The words are quite powerful and it will carry a lot of meaning."

For its biggest concert of the year, Peterson, musical director for the SNMAS, said he selected "Mariazeller Mass" and "Psalm 42" for their symphonic and choral masterworks. He chose "Jupiter," Mozart's most well-known symphony, for its elegance, grace and charm.

"The Mendelssohn is kind of rhapsodic. It's opulent," Peterson said. "It just sings itself. 'Jupiter' has four different themes in the fourth movement and they bounce around a little bit, so it's challenging.

"Haydn's music dances so much. His Masses are very lively and cheerful. That was his personality so much. He was very inspired."

The works are not new for Peterson. The society performed "Mariazeller" in 1987 and "Jupiter" in 1992. Other featured soloists include mezzo-soprano Leslie Ann Leytham, tenor Robert Peterson and baritone Serdar Ilban.

Cofield, who says she has been singing opera as long as she's been performing in concerts, just returned from Knoxville, Tenn., where she performed as Pamina in "The Magic Flute."

Other recent roles for the singer include Norina in "Don Pasquale" and Musetta in "La Boheme." Concert performances include Brahms' "German Requiem" and a popular draw for her, Handel's "Messiah."

"If a December goes by without a 'Messiah,' I hardly know what to do with myself," Cofield said. "I do it three or four times a year."

Regarding the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, she said, "We've done some nice works together. It was my first 'Elijah.' I grew to love it."

And Peterson continues to revere Cofield.

"Her voice is stunning," he said. "When she prepares something, it's prepared. She creates a wonderful atmosphere. She's done the big work. She's just a special soloist."