Pictured, left to right: Featured soloists, Kyle Hayes, Paul Jessen, Philip Lima, Sarah Bailey and Molly Harmon. Richard Sawyer Photography

Is Maine becoming a haven for opera? Well, maybe not quite yet. But the growing number of operatic events each year, presented by organizations large and small, bodes well for the future of the art form in the Pine Tree State.

Opera Maine and Opera in the Pines are but two examples of companies on the rise. And the multitudinous ChoralArt Masterworks chorus made its case on Sunday afternoon, in collaboration with the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, by presenting selections from some of opera’s greatest hits in a way that emphasized both the deep lyricism and high spirits to be found in opera. It made for an uplifting, thoroughly enjoyable performance.

The Kotzschmar is a huge pipe organ that can easily threaten to take over whatever musical setting in which it is placed. A jovial James Kennerley manned its 5 keyboards and 32 foot pedals, offering some commentary as well as several of his own compositional transcriptions, in a program devoted to instrumental and vocal masterpieces.

The early part of the two-hour program featured mostly 19th century or earlier works. Kennerley led things off with an appropriately assertive solo rendition of the “Overture to Die Meistersinger” by Richard Wagner (a piece from the composer’s “Tannhäuser” would later beautifully involve the chorus).

As a video screen above divided between shots of the organist’s busy hands and feet, the Wagnerian work’s majesty set one limit to the sounds of the afternoon. Another solo take, this time on the “Overture (The Magic Flute)” by W.A. Mozart, proved the organist could traverse more delicate musical terrain as well, later confirmed by the melodicism on display in the “Overture (La Traviata)” by Giuseppe Verdi.

Guest baritone vocalist Philip Lima joined Kennerley for a rendition of “Prologo (Pagliacci)” by Ruggero Leoncavallo. Lima added a theatricality to which he would return throughout the program. The deep resonance of emotion within his delivery was striking.

The chorus marched in for several lighter-hearted works, conducted by music director Robert Russell, including two by Verdi. “The Anvil Chorus (Il Trovatore)” and “Brindisi (La Traviata)” both gave the dozens of singers (and Sam Perkins on the anvil) a chance to shine. In the latter piece, Kyle Hayes and Sarah Bailey took full advantage of solo moments. Another Verdi piece, the “Triumphal March (Aida),” during which Hayes, Stuart Bailey, Bruce Canterbury and Robert Stoddard came forward, may have reminded some of last summer’s Opera Maine full production of the Verdi classic.

Then, “for something completely different,” as Kennerley quipped, the music got a little closer to modern times with selections from the works of George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein.

The Gershwin selections, taken from his famous opera/operetta/musical (you decide) “Porgy and Bess,” included a soulful Kennerley excursion into the sweetness of “Summertime” followed by Lima and chorus offering theatrical gestures to highlight three songs. “It ain’t necessarily so” was a particular delight.

The Bernstein material included an organ solo on the “Overture (Candide)” and Lima summoning another outstanding moment with “Simple Song (Mass)” before all joined in for a soaring final take on “Tonight (West Side Story)” that left at least one audience member reprising the song on his way out into the darkening late afternoon.

Steve Feeney is a freelance writer who lives in Portland.

CONCERT REVIEW

WHAT: Grand Opera meets the Mighty Kotzschmar

WHERE: Merrill Auditorium, Portland

REVIEWED: Nov. 17