by Bill Wineke

MADISON, Wis. — Christmas really doesn’t return to the Madison arts scene until the Madison Symphony Orchestra offers its annual Christmas extravaganza.
Which means, of course, that Christmas didn’t really happen last year as we were all shut down for Covid.

But this weekend the orchestra and conductor John DeMain, along with the Madison Symphony Chorus, Mount Zion Gospel Ensemble and Madison Youth Choirs were back in force and in harmony.

Overture Hall was packed as it hasn’t been since the shutdown began. And the Christmas concert always draws an eclectic crowd including stalwart music professors who haven’t missed a concert in 50 years and young adults who make this their only Overture Center visit of the year.

by Lindsay Christians

Madison greeted the symphony’s annual Christmas concert with not one but two standing ovations before the caroling finale began. It was as sure a sign as any that the holidays are here, and we’re ready for them.

Leading a full complement of players -- winds, brass and all — as well as the Madison Symphony Chorus and several other guests, maestro John DeMain allowed that they’d made “some modifications for ‘you know what’” while trying to maintain beloved traditions.

That meant all 150-some adult choristers wore matching black singer’s masks, as did the high school-aged singers in the Madison Youth Choirs. (Shaped like duck bills, singer’s masks allow performers a little more breathing room. Some boys still struggled, tugging at their faces.)