NACO, Feb. 1: Donna Brown and NACO ensembles perform on the next Music for a Sunday Afternoon

Soprano Donna Brown and ensembles of the NAC Orchestra perform Haydn, Schubert and Brahms on the next Music for a Sunday Afternoon on Feb. 1

Ottawa, Canada – The next Music for a Sunday Afternoon chamber music concert celebrates the human voice in songs by Haydn, Schubert and Brahms featuring internationally renowned soprano Donna Brown. The Ottawa based singer will be joined by ensembles of the NAC Orchestra including concertmaster Yosuke Kawasaki, who in addition will precede each set of songs with a chamber music composition by the same composer. This concert takes place on Sunday, February 1 at 2 p.m. in the Auditorium of the National Gallery of Canada.

Musicians: Donna Brown, soprano, Yosuke Kawasaki, violin; Carole Sirois, cello; Jean Desmarais, piano; Jessica Linnebach, violin; David Thies-Thompson, viola.

Program:

HAYDN: Piano Trio No. 27 in A-flat major (Hob XV: 14)

HAYDN: Six folksong arrangements:

Ein Wandrer kommt von ferne (The wanderer from afar…)

Es sang und sang ein Vögelein (A little bird sang so sadly…)

Ich stehe auf der Heide (I’m standing on the moor…)

Es weiden meine Schafe (My sheep are grazing…)

Schlaf in deiner engen Kammer (Sleep little one…)

Durchs Feld macht ich morgens im Lenz einen Gang (I went for a walk one spring morning…)

SCHUBERT: Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703

SCHUBERT:

Am Bach im Frühling (At the Brook in Springtime) D. 361

Wanderers Nachtlied II (Wayfarer’s Night Song) Über allen Gipfeln, D. 768

Die junge Nonne (The Young Nun) D. 828

Der Jüngling auf dem Hügel (The Youth on the Hill) D. 702

BRAHMS: Sonatensatz in C minor (from the F-A-E Sonata)

BRAHMS: trans. Walter

Über die Heide (Over the Heath) Op. 86, No. 4

O kühler Wald (O Cool Forest) Op. 72, No. 3

Von ewiger Liebe (Of Everlasting Love) Op. 43, No. 1

Auf dem See (On the Lake) Op. 106, No. 2

Ständchen (Serenade) Op. 106, No. 1

Donna Brown, soprano

Renowned for the floating golden-hued quality of her voice, celebrated Canadian soprano Donna Brown performs on the world’s great opera and concert stages of Paris, London, Tokyo, Geneva, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Sao Paolo, Tel Aviv, Barcelona, Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco. She has numerous recordings to her name, and her latest CD release of Bachianas Brasileiras No.#5, with Roberto Minczuk conducting, has received rave reviews.

Highlights of the current season include recitals in France with Philippe Cassard, a Bach and Haendel program with Ottawa’s 13 Strings, concerts with the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, and Haydn’s Creation with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and the Petrobas Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro. Donna Brown made her debut with NACO in 1992 singing Gitanjali, written for her by the Canadian composer R.Murray Schafer, and returned for last season’s eXpressions festival to sing it once again. In 2006 she appeared in a joint recital with Russell Braun at the NAC and in the week prior to Music for a Sunday Afternoon, she performs with the NAC Orchestra in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass.

Tickets for Music for a Sunday Afternoon on February 1 are on sale now at $29.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC’s website at www.nac-cna.ca. They may also be purchased at the National Gallery one hour before the concert.