Madrigals:
Stoughton High School’s Madrigals singers hit all the high notes during these holidays, that brings you back to the 16th century. The Madrigals are vocal music compositions with lyrics built on poetry. Each line has its own melody and revolves around the themes of love. It originated in Italy and spread all over Europe, and now they brought their magic to Stoughton, Wisconsin.
From Dec. 9-10th, 2023, SHS Madrigals hosted its 47th Annual Madrigal Dinner, upholding a program that started in 1976 and is still going strong. A total of 16 people were chosen outside of the concert choir to be the chamber group vocalists.
They spend their time together in the first days of December, visiting the community in holiday outfits. They went to nursing homes, hospitals, and rotary luncheons, where they performed their songs.
Ryan Casey, the advisor for SHS Madrigals, has been part of the group since 2001, marking his 22nd year of hosting the Madrigal Dinner.
“Each person served their own role during the dinner, especially the entertainment table where the men would rip on the women, and then the women would rip on them. We also had the monks, who were the town’s idiots, and we have the jesters who perform,” Casey said. “These are all entertainment groups for the king and queen, whom they invited to come to celebrate during the holidays. Ultimately, that was the real thing.”
Some of the songs they perform change yearly, whereas some are timeless. The Madrigal walk-in carol is always,”Bring the Torch, Janette, Isabella,” released in 1988. The exit carol is always “Silent Night,” which was released in 1833
As this year Madrigal season comes to an end there is still time to think about being part of madrigals.
“If you want to be part of the head table, you must do all the rehearsals and ensure a calendar that works with sports. We work well with sports teams and Norwegian Dancers, so we’re mostly not overlapping,” Casey says.
This year, Madrigal had a large group of people, and more new ones are to come. As the curtains close for the year on the enchanting melodies, the SHS Madrigals will continue to leave an impression and their music continues to resonate with audiences of all ages, year after year.
Dinner Review:
On a dark Sunday evening, three madrigal attendees eagerly headed to the dinner, which took place in Stoughton High School’s cafeteria.
The group had to wait about 30 minutes as the singers prepared for the show, which felt long. However, we consumed the time by chatting and sharing.
Simon Mehring said, “The wait was a little long, but the hallways were on theme to the dinner, and plenty of refreshments (hot cider, and ham and cheese rolls) were served to keep guests entertained. There were also singers, and musicians in the hall to add to the ambiance.” Mehring said.
A few minutes later, we entered the cafeteria,
a warm and inviting ambiance greeting us. The golden lights gave us a cozy atmosphere. Tables were set elegantly, adorned with flickering candles and plants. Each place setting was arranged with gleaming silverware, ready for the delicious feast ahead.
When seated, we were given a salad, tomato soup, and bread for starters while listening to the gathered singers harmonizing on the stage.
After comedic plays and madrigal-styled music, our tables were filled with the main dish: a small roasted chicken and roasted vegetables with potatoes on the side.
“I thought the food was super on-themed for the event, and it really brought everyone together and added to the overall experience,” Mehring said.
Lastly, as everyone says, there is always room for dessert. We were given sherbert at last to enjoy the final showcase.
Sophomore, Andrea Becerra left the dinner satisfied. Although she did not like the number of mushrooms that were in her salad. Other than that she believes that the food was good and a thing she would attend again.
