Chanticleer is the pride and joy of San Francisco. The melding of the beautiful voices that make up the men’s choral group is known throughout the world, but never is the ensemble as pristine as when performing in its hometown. The story of Chanticleer and its transformation into an international star in not unlike its latest program, which will grace five stages in mid-September. Simply put, it’s a love story.
“It has been a wonderful marriage and opportunity for both of us,” says bass Eric Alatorre, who is figuratively married to Chanticleer, having been a member for 22 years. “Chanticleer is still developing, so in some ways it has grown around me, as well.” He now welcomes a new generation of singers to the prestigious ensemble and shares his wealth of knowledge and expertise to continually propel the group forward.
The “Love Story” program — featuring music by Whitacre, Paulus, R. Strauss, Tavener, de Vivanco, Victoria, and Ellington (among others) — gives each singer a chance to explore his individual story with Chanticleer and also with his own career. “The program begins with all of this wonderful early music which I adored while in school, and I never had as much opportunity to perform as I wanted to. Coming into a group like this gave me the opportunity to perform all these wonderful pieces that I loved, and I continue to love now,” Alatorre observes.
Beyond the opening pieces, he is particularly proud of the story within the program. “There are so many different facets to love, not just the saccharine, sappy love you get in any Hollywood movie these days. ... To someone who has been around a long time and has a very different perspective on love, even on obsessive and not terribly healthy relationships that people experience in life, it offers a very diverse look at what ‘love’ can mean to people.”
Chanticleer has already vetted the program by European audiences before returning home to present its story to the four cities in which they typically concertize around the Bay Area (this time adding Sacramento). “People seemed to really appreciate the different stories we were telling with the program, whether it be a sacred love between man and creator, or the more physical aspects of love.” Although its tour abroad was a great success, the ensemble is looking forward to showcasing the new program on its home stages. “People here know us and know the programming that we do. I think they have come to expect a certain level of programming, and also performance. This is something we will live up to and do well,” the bass with the remarkable handlebar mustache concludes.
“Love Story” offers Chanticleer a unique chance to interact with the audience that knows its singers so deeply. “It’s fun to break out of our mold of classic musicians. We get to stretch a bit and try new things. There are always new composers and arrangers who offer things up to us, and this [program] will be no exception.”
Undoubtedly, Alatorre and his 11 brothers in Chanticleer anxiously await sharing the experience of their “Love Story” with their fervent Bay Area admirers. “There seems to be a greater art in the storytelling of the program. It was a journey.”