Review » If singing were a sporting event, the visiting team brought its A-game to the Cathedral of the Madeleine Saturday night.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir made its second-ever visit to Salt Lake City's Roman Catholic cathedral, opening the Madeleine Festival of the Arts and Humanities in celebration of the cathedral's centennial. Music Director Mack Wilberg chose some of the finest hymn tunes and other worship music from around the world, taking full advantage of the singers' -- and the building's -- strengths.

The choir is accustomed to singing in a big, acoustically lively space, so it shouldn't be surprising that the 300 singers, 65-piece Orchestra at Temple Square and Tabernacle organists Clay Christiansen and Andrew Unsworth followed Wilberg's direction with such precision and balance. Still, nothing really could prepare the listener for the stunning impact of the choir's opening "Alleluia!" on its first number, "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty."

Wilberg grouped the musical selections by country of origin, presenting German hymn tunes, Russian songs of praise, three psalm settings by British composers Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams, a handful of folk hymns from around the world, and a selection of American folk hymns and spirituals featured on the choir's most recent CD. Nearly half the arrangements were by Wilberg.

The orchestra was in fine form (only on "Down to the River to Pray" did the ensemble get a little iffy), but Wilberg also included some unaccompanied numbers, such as Pavel Chesnokov's "O Lord God" and the American spirituals "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me" and "Rock-A-My Soul," that let the singers show off their uncanny transparency and beautiful warm tone.

High points included the women's ethereal performance of "His Voice as the Sound," choir member Alex Boyé's stupendous solos on the two spirituals, and the soaring closer, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

Two choristers from the Madeleine Choir School, Deron Parcell and Jonathan Savastano, also contributed solos; both boys sang with remarkable poise and clarity.

Catherine Reese Newton is a music critic. Contact her at creese@sltrib.com or 801-257-8616.