Musical Reflections: Building Community through Questioning On Family Weekend 2025, the Holy Cross College Choir and Chamber Singers performed their annual Fall Concert, which took place on All Saints Day in the St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. As a member of both choirs and a music major in the class of 2026, this Fall Concert felt… Continue reading Holy Cross College Choir & Chamber Singers, Lauren Mlicko ’26
Notes
Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ’s The Odyssey, Tess Patti ’26
The Odyssey–From Vietnam to America and the Experience of Epic When I walk into the home I grew up in, I can smell it. A scent that used to be the default for me, the source from which all other scents were compared to, now foreign. I eventually acclimate every time, but when I leave once… Continue reading Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ’s The Odyssey, Tess Patti ’26
Ilya Yidrin’s All(most), Catie Rigoli ’28
A Masterclass in Motion: Ilya Vidrin’s Universal Lessons in Anatomy and Art Dance is often viewed as an artistic endeavor, a creative process that involves devising choreography, mastering technique, and practicing to perfection. Yet, the intersection of dance and science is of increasing interest to practitioners throughout the dance field, even if less commonly encountered… Continue reading Ilya Yidrin’s All(most), Catie Rigoli ’28
Six Characters in Search of an Author, Tessa Zafon-Whalen ‘26
Six Characters in Search of an Author: The Question Mark over Theater and Reality Before entering the Boroughs Theatre, I was prepared to sit down quietly with the company I brought to see Six Characters in Search of an Author. Once past the theater threshold, however, I was surprised by the actors already out on… Continue reading Six Characters in Search of an Author, Tessa Zafon-Whalen ‘26
A Series of Resolutions, Julianna Stratton ’26
A contemporary composer’s take on the age-old question of what it means to exist in time. In late February, I joined fellow students and community members in the dimly lit Luth auditorium. Immediately more interesting than our usual pre-concert rituals – perusing the program, scrolling through our phones, chatting with the people around us, watching… Continue reading A Series of Resolutions, Julianna Stratton ’26
Directing, Kate Wheeler ’25
As I conclude my senior year at Holy Cross, I still shake my head at the crazy decision I made halfway through my college career: to become a director. The choice has always oscillated between a wacky fantasy and the best way I know to fulfill a sense of belonging. Previously, I only marveled at… Continue reading Directing, Kate Wheeler ’25
Game On! A Celebration of Video Game Music, Sarah Park ’25
It had all the semblances of an ordinary concert. There were the poised musicians of the Holy Cross Wind Ensemble and Orchestra in their black formal clothes, seated in a semicircle around the conductor’s stand. There stood the conductor with his baton glinting under the soft concert lights, and there sat the audience engaged in… Continue reading Game On! A Celebration of Video Game Music, Sarah Park ’25
Sweeney Todd, Jackson MacLeod ’25
In February 2025, The Holy Cross Department of Theatre and Dance unveiled a most audacious artistic achievement, crafting a haunting and enthralling tale of revenge and obsession. On the subject of obsession, I attended seven out of the eight times that Holy Cross performed Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. In… Continue reading Sweeney Todd, Jackson MacLeod ’25
Ian Bostridge, Julianna Stratton ’26
Ian Bostridge, classical tenor hailing from the UK, once again visited Worcester’s Tuckerman Hall in March for a performance of Lieder spanning the centuries. Accompanied by pianist Julius Drake, a long-time collaborator, the two presented a series of classically-set Shakespearean poetry, featuring composers spanning from Haydn to Shubert to Dowland. For those not yet introduced… Continue reading Ian Bostridge, Julianna Stratton ’26
Enron, Kate Wheeler ’25
Walking into rehearsal with director Scott Malia and the cast of Enron, I was not expecting to see Vincent Sekafetz, class of 2025, playing Jeff Skilling, toss imaginary pieces of meat to velociraptors. As I later learned, Enron’s chief financial officer and convicted felon Andy Fastow did call his debt holders “raptors.” Dramatizing the rise and… Continue reading Enron, Kate Wheeler ’25