This year’s 46th Annual Madrigals perform tonight and tomorrow in the school auditorium with five dollar admission.
Madrigals is a year-round Christmas tradition involving the talented Madrigals singers and their medieval-inspired costumes as they navigate through themes of friendship and the true spirit of Christmas by singing songs and dancing, with a steady hand from choir director Nathan Rancatore, who has coordinated the Madrigals for a total of nine years.
“The Madrigals are one of the longest-running traditions we have at Central.” Rancatore said. “It had different locations and setup, and I wanted to refine it a little bit, give it a little more stage presence.”
The Madrigals have performed at Central since 1978, and over the years, it has changed to become more relevant for present day.
“We modernized it, but we still host it in the auditorium,” Abigail Kistinger, sophomore, said. “It used to be a dinner and everything… but it’s now more of a concert.” With all of the hard work and dedication the members have put in, some are starting to feel the pressure.
“[There is] extra work [in addition to band responsibilities] and the long dress rehearsals,” Michael Kazak, a senior in Madrigal brass said.
Although being a part of the Madrigals seems stressful, the community embraces a positive attitude and mindset for growth.
“I wouldn’t say anything is difficult,” junior Mitch Countryman, a Madrigal in choir said. “I’d say everyone makes mistakes, but it never escalates to any point where everyone is arguing about it.” Even with all the excitement that comes with the world of Madrigals, there remains a deep and highly integral theme of the performance that can never be forgotten.
“We talk about love, acceptance, and unity,” Rancatore said, “The holidays mean something different to every single person, but I just want to allow people to come together and celebrate the different meanings of the holiday season with this show.”
