Tomorrow and Saturday night, the Coppell High School Madrigal choir will hold its annual Madrigal Feast. The CHS commons will be transformed into a Renaissance-era dining room, tables filled with roasted vegetables, fowl and dessert for attendees.

The evening will be complete with a comedic performance and music from the time period. Seating begins at 6:30 p.m., with the event starting at 7. The opportunity to buy tickets has passed as of yesterday.

The planning and preparation for the feast has been extensive, starting prior to the school year. From music and rehearsals to costumes, food and decorations, it has been the combined effort of students, parents and directors to cultivate an enjoyable experience.

The Madrigals are CHS’s top performing, audition-only select choir, mostly comprised of upperclassmen. To promote the feast and perfect performances, they performed four gigs around Coppell this past weekend, including the city’s Vintage Christmas event.

“We have various rehearsals and performances throughout the year,” Madrigal queen and group captain Arzue Shakeri said. “[These performances] give us the chance to really get out there and support other people and just get a taste of what it’s going to be like and what we can improve on and what we’re already doing well.”

Similar to theater, the group has a tech week prior to the feast to perfect performances and run through the show numerous times.

Madrigal director Aaron Coronado appreciates the music style’s relevance in modern day and particularly during the holiday season.

“This tradition of Madrigal singing is carried on through the centuries,” Coronado said. “Harmonically, it’s simple and beautiful. At times of year like this we like things that make us feel warm inside and have that sense of familiarity.”

Not only does the performance provide a great experience, but the immersion in the medieval era allows students to connect with history.

“When you get to put yourself in and act like you’re in the real life situation, in the end you get a deeper appreciation for what that era had to offer to the world,” Madrigal member and New Tech High@Coppell junior Joie Lew said.

Coronado is excited for the upcoming performances and for the work of the group to come to fruition.  

“Our Madrigals are a really great group of students and singers and we hold them to a really really high standard,” Coronado said. “They continue to rise and continue to take the next step higher and higher. I’m really excited to see how we perform on Friday and Saturday.”