The King's Singers Enthrall McCarter Audience

The King's Singers returned to on Monday night, sharing their music and wit with a nearly packed house.

From the moment the group of six British men walked onto the McCarter stage, they had the audience entranced while performing a program that included sacred and secular texts, from the serious (“Even Such is Time” by Sir Walter Raleigh) to the funny (“anyone lived in a funny how town” by e.e. cummings).

The group includes bass Jonathan Howard, baritones Christopher Bruerton and Christopher Gabbitas, tenor Paul Phoenex, and countertenors David Hurley and Timothy Wayne-Wright.

The countertenors sing as falsettists and sound like sopranos: the first time David Hurley opened his mouth on stage, some began to look around for the female singer. There was none. 

Member of The King’s Singers introduced each of the nearly two dozen works during the two-act performance. Immediately before intermission, the singers loosened their ties, tossed aside their jackets and performed a skit and song ("Il gioco di Primiera") about the Italian card game of Primiera.

At the end of the formal program, the singers walked out from behind the tables they stood behind for much of the concert,  performing renditions of “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, "Greensleeves" and “Penny Lane” by The Beatles, among others.

It is nearly impossible to classify the type of music The King’s Singers perform because they seem to do a little bit of everything. And not only does the group perform some 120 concerts a year, it also conducts workshops around the world.

On Monday, the group spent the day with the in Princeton, and students were seated in the balcony during Monday night’s performance. When The King’s Singers mentioned their work with local students, the audience gave the American Boychoir School students a round of thunderous applause.

The King’s Singers received a standing ovation at McCarter and and returned to stage several times before adjourning to sign CDs and meet with audience members in the lobby.