On January 4, 2008, after four years of extensive renovation, the Utah State Capitol building held a formal Re-dedication ceremony. The ceremony’s 2008 program was based on the program used during the original dedication in 1916.
Included among the many performances was a new musical commission entitled “Anthem for a New Year: Into Light”. The lyrics were a new poem written by Utah’s Poet Laureate Katharine Coles, PhD, and set to music by Utah composer Kurt Bestor. The premeire was conducted by Craig Jessop, and the extensive cast of local performers included The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Utah Symphony Orchestra, The Bells on Temple Square, the 23rd Army Band, the International Children’s Choir, and the Cathedral of the Madeleine Choir School.
“Into Light” compares the cold dark winter dawning slowly into spring as an allegory for our personal opportunities to change with the season, reach for new possibilities, and become beings of light.
“Lift us again, moon for the season.
From its warm nest the bird breaks into flight.
Set loose we spin with earth into blue,
Heaven’s dome turning us back into light.”
Video Courtesy Kurt Bestor
Historic Trivia: The dedicatory prayer for this ceremony was given by the current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley. This would be his final public appearance. He passed away 3 weeks later, on Jan. 27, 2008 at the age of 97.
Latter-day Soprano 