Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

A ticket to the Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert is highly coveted in these parts.  I very much wanted to go (I even schlepped my laptap on my trip to Los Angeles after having trouble using the website on my phone in the past) because this year the featured guests were Broadway star Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham!).  But, alas, I couldn't get tickets.  I was really sad but I knew that I had a lot of really fun things planned in December (The Last Jedi!) and, since you can't do everything, I got over it!  Then my wonderful friend, who sings in the choir, offered me one of his tickets (I got a ticket to a later screening of The Last Jedi because sleep is overrated).  The concert began with the choir, along with the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble, singing "Joy to the World" and that pretty much began the waterworks because it was so stirring.  The stage was decorated like the prow of a ship with sails, maritime signal flags, portholes, and flickering lanterns hanging all around.  The effect was stunning and the significance was revealed a bit later.  Sutton Foster, Hugh Bonneville, and hundreds of dancers dressed in Victorian costumes sang "Just Once a Year" which was a lot of fun.  Then Foster sang "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Christmas Time Is Here."  Next came my favorite part of the concert which was titled A Classical Christmas.  The choir and Richard Elliott, on the most amazing organ you can imagine, performed "Unfold, Ye Portals" from The Redemption by Charles Grunod and then "Sing!" based on the Toccata from Organ Symphony No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor.  That was spectacular and I could hardly catch my breath!  Then Foster sang an amazing version of "Sunshine on My Shoulder" by John Denver after telling an affecting story about her mother.  Seriously, the waterworks began again (so much so that the adorable older gentleman sitting next to me felt the need to comfort me!).  The Orchestra on Temple Square performed "Sleigh Ride" and then Foster followed with "Snow," from A White Christmas, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Happy Holiday."  Mack WIlberg, the conductor of the choir, led the audience in a rousing version of "Jingle Bells" complete with snow falling!  Richard Elliott performed an epic version of "I Saw Three Ships" on the organ and then Hugh Bonneville appeared in the audience very close to where I was sitting to tell the story of how Horatio Spafford came to write the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" after losing most of his family after a ship they were traveling on at Christmas time sank in the Atlantic Ocean.  It was quite moving because the choir sang the hymn at various times in the story.  Then the choir sang a beautiful version of "Silent Night" with lighting that made the women look like angels in their white dresses.  Bonneville then recited the Christmas Story form the Bible.  The concert ended with an incredible version of "Angels From The Realms of Glory" performed by Foster and all of the dancers.  I will never forget this night!  It was a beautiful and inspiring concert and I am beyond grateful that I got to go (Thank you so much, Stanford!).

Me and some random guy before the concert began!

Note:  Look for my review of The Last Jedi tomorrow!