Frances Hackley
Members of the Robson Ranch Choir joined the Voices of Flower Mound and Trietsch Methodist Church Choirs in South America. The group of 40 singers first stopped in Buenos Aires, Argentina, taking in the city’s beautiful architecture, a tango show, and the La Recoleta Cemetery, the world’s most beautiful place to rest in peace. It is the resting place of Eva Peron and Argentina’s most famous figures.
Three days later, it was on to Puerto Iguazu to view the Iguazu Falls. All were set aback at the splendor and sheer majesty before them. Iguazu is the largest waterfall system in the world and one of the seven modern wonders of the world. The group was able to enjoy the spectacle from both the Argentina and Brazil sides.
Then it was off to Rio de Janeiro and a stay on the famous Copacabana Beach. In Rio, the group enjoyed a tour of the city’s most famous sites, which included Copacabana Beach, Ipanema Beach, Sugarloaf Mountain via cable car, Botanical Gardens, and Tijuca National Park. Brazil’s most famous landmark, the iconic Christ the Redeemer, towers above and watches over the city. The statue stands atop the 2,316-foot-high Corcovado Mountain, Corcovado, the Portuguese word for hunchback, which describes the physical appearance of the mountain. Journeying to Christ’s feet was via the Trem do Corcovado Railway. Once at the Redeemer’s feet, the views—of soaring birds, the entire city and beyond to the mountains and the rainforest, and the Atlantic Ocean until to the end of earth it seems—were breathtaking, to say the least.
The sites were indeed wonderful, but the highlight was the 50-minute concert the choir presented to the people of Brazil. The choir performed at the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carma da antiga Se (translation: Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of the Ancient Sea). It is the oldest church in Brazil, consecrated in 1770, and the interior gilded woodwork in Rococo style was not completed until 15 years later. Its interior is a wood-carved masterpiece and known as the Royal Chapel of Brazil. All coronations, baptisms, weddings, and funerals of the Brazilian emperor and royalty were held there since the 17th century.
The church had standing room only, and extra chairs were added for the performance. The choir sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” “Peace Like a River,” “Just a Little Walk with Jesus,” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” to name a few. When the concert ended, listeners could not get to their feet fast enough with uproarious applause and shouts of mais, mais! (more, more!), a true and factual testament that music is truly a universal language! Though many did not know the words we were singing, they all felt the emotion, the passion, and the melody conveying the message. It was a truly extraordinarily magical experience.
The Robson Choir’s next concert is April 20 and 21. Go to rrmusicclub.com for information.