Rolando Villazón's Handel on Deutsche Grammophon 3/31

Rolando Villazón and Handel Make a Surprising Musical Coupling in a New Deutsche Grammophon Release In Stores March 31st

Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Players Join Villazón for Idiomatic and Passionate Music-Making

“Rolando Villazón has…stepped into the operatic spotlight with a vengeance: an exuberantly brilliant, youthful, agile, all-around lyric tenor who defies the canard about tenors’ intelligence, who can genuinely act and who outstrips his rivals with a maverick breadth of repertory from Monteverdi to Puccini." New York Times

NEW YORK, NY – March 30, 2009 – On March 31st, 2009, Deutsche Grammophon will release the second studio recording from Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón. Paul McCreesh – a Gramophone Award winner for his previous Handel recordings – and the Gabrieli Players energize this all Italian Handel aria program. This recording follows the tremendous worldwide success of Villazón’s 2008 Deutsche Grammophon debut, Cielo e Mar, and spotlights a dramatically different side of this versatile and winning singer.

For those who associate Rolando Villazón with the lyric tenor heroes of 19th-century operas, the notion of him singing Handel may come as a bit of a shock. “I was in Paris, at the start of my career,” he explains, “and I bought a CD of Cecilia Bartoli singing Vivaldi. I became obsessed by it. Ever since then I have sought out recordings of Baroque music. And I dreamed of singing it myself.”

His chance came when he met the conductor and harpsichordist Emmanuelle Haïm. She persuaded him to make a CD of Monteverdi. “And I must say that it was one of the most spiritually fulfilling experiences of my career. Another door opened in my inner life.” Having convinced himself that he could sing Baroque arias, Villazón’s next venture into that repertoire seemed obvious. With the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel’s death on the horizon, he made the bold choice to record some of the greatest arias from Handel’s opere serie. Until he made this recording he had sung barely a note of Handel in public.

What Villazón wanted to do was engage fully – musically, stylistically and philosophically – with the world of period-instrument Baroque performance which is why Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Players – who are at the forefront of Britain’s period-instrument movement was engaged to work on the project.

“In a sense this marks the coming-of-age of the Baroque music revival,” the conductor says. “Even great Romantic tenors want to sing it now! Of course, the convention is for lighter voices to do this repertoire. But once I had some preliminary rehearsals with Rolando, I realized that he has a fantastic instrument for Baroque music.”

Rolando Villazón’s Handel album is released as he makes his return to the American opera stage for the first time in two seasons. In January and February, he appeared as Edgardo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor opposite Anna Netrebko at the Metropolitan Opera. Villazón returns to the Met on April 8^th to showcase his comic prowess as Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore also by Donizetti.

Pacfiic Opera Victoria presents Handel's SEMELE

IN BRIEF
Pacific Opera Victoria presents Handel's SEMELE February 12, 14, 17, 19
and 21, 2009 at the Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton Street in Victoria.
Performed in English with English surtitles. Running time is
approximately two hours and forty five minutes with one intermission.
All performances begin at 8pm. Pre-performance lectures begin at 6:45pm.
Priced between $25 and $110, tickets are available from the Royal and
McPherson Box Office at (250) 386-6121, or on-line at www.rmts.bc.ca.

Student RUSH tickets for those presenting valid student identification
are available at the door of the theatre, 45 minutes prior to each
performance, subject to availability. RUSH tickets are $15, inclusive
of all box office charges.

IN FULL
Pacific Opera Victoria presents the company premiere of Handel's SEMELE,
at The Royal Theatre in Victoria, February 12, 14, 17, 19 and 21, 2009.

Based on a Greek myth and a libretto by William Congreve, SEMELE
(pronounced SEH-meh-lee), is the story of the delectable Semele and the
god Jupiter, who tempt fate with a dangerously imprudent love affair.
Semele, a girl with ambitions, craves immortality. She also has a
terrifying secret: she is pregnant with Jupiter's child. After Jupiter
carries Semele off to enjoy "endless pleasure, endless love," his wife,
Juno, plots a fiery finish to the affair.

George Frideric Handel was one of the finest Baroque composers; in fact
Beethoven called him the greatest composer that ever lived. He made his
name writing Italian operas before turning his attention to English
oratorios - unstaged dramatic works, often on biblical themes. When
SEMELE premiered as an oratorio in 1744, it offended nearly everyone.
The story was far too profane to be a "proper" oratorio; in fact Charles
Jennings, the librettist of Handel's Messiah, called SEMELE "a baudy
opera." However, as it was neither staged nor in Italian, purists at
the time could not consider it an opera.

Handel's luscious music, dead-on characterizations, and sense of
dramatic momentum make SEMELE an irresistible operatic treat for modern
audiences. As part of a resurgence in the popularity of Baroque music,
SEMELE is now performed in fully staged productions around the world.

Award-winning Maestro Timothy Vernon conducts this production, which
Director Wim Trompert has set in the 19th century - a time when an
unmarried girl's pregnancy would be particularly scandalous. Brian
Perchaluk makes his company debut with a stunning set and costumes that
evoke the neo-classical design of the Victorian age.

Nathalie Paulin, (POV's The Tempest) is recognized worldwide for her
mastery of the baroque repertoire. She returns to POV to portray Semele,
a role she created recently for Chicago Opera Theater. Acclaimed
Canadian tenor and Victoria native Benjamin Butterfield (POV'S Don
Giovanni)), sings the role of Jupiter, and Anita Krause (POV's Norma)
sings the roles of Juno and Ino. They are joined by Scott Belluz,
Nathaniel Watson and Anne Grimm, who make their company debuts as
Athamas, Somnus/Cadmus and Iris.

CBC Radio will record Pacific Opera Victoria's production of SEMELE for
national broadcast on Saturday Afternoon at the Opera.

Performed in English with English surtitles, Pacific Opera Victoria's
production of SEMELE runs February 12, 14, 17, 19, and 21, 2009 at the
Royal Theatre in Victoria. All performances begin at 8pm. Priced
between $25 and $110, tickets are available from the Royal and McPherson
Box Office at (250) 386-6121 or www.rmts.bc.ca.

Student RUSH tickets for those presenting valid student identification
are available at the door of the theatre, 45 minutes prior to each
performance, subject to availability. RUSH tickets are $15, inclusive
of all box office charges.

For more information, please contact Pacific Opera Victoria at (250)
385-0222 or visit www.pov.bc.ca.

To celebrate Handel's legacy, four Victoria arts organizations - Pacific
Baroque Festival, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Early Music Society of the
Islands, and the Victoria Symphony - are collaborating to present a
festival of music by Handel and his contemporaries, February 3 through
22, 2009. A full schedule of events for Handel Celebration 2009 can be
found at www.pov.bc.ca/handel.html

Symphony Nova Scotia presents a Baroque Messiah with Jeanne Lamon

Symphony Nova Scotia presents a Baroque Messiah with Jeanne Lamon

Halifax, NS – Leader/violinist and Baroque specialist Jeanne Lamon joins Symphony Nova Scotia, the Symphony Nova Scotia Chorus and a cast of internationally acclaimed soloists in Handel's Messiah. Audiences of all ages can enjoy back-to-back performances on Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20 at 7:30 pm at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.

Handel's most famous creation, Messiah was composed in 1741 and is among the most popular works in Western choral literature. This masterpiece is an unforgettable experience for music lovers and a highlight of the holiday season.

"I have worked with Symphony Nova Scotia for many years now, and together we have developed a common musical language," says Lamon. "In all my years working here in Halifax, this Messiah will be the first major choral work I conduct! It's very exciting."

The performances will also feature guest soloists Suzie LeBlanc (soprano), Vicki St. Pierre (mezzo soprano), Nils Brown (tenor) and Christòpheren Nomura (bass), accompanied by the eighty-voice Symphony Nova Scotia Chorus.

"It is wonderful to be preparing the Symphony Nova Scotia Chorus for conductor Jeanne Lamon," says chorus master Jeff Joudrey. "She will bring a freshness and vitality to Messiah which will inspire the singers and instrumentalists alike. The audience will be in for a real treat!"

Get your tickets now! Prices range from $32-47.50 (HST included), or you can pick up a subscription and save up to 30%. Student and group discounts are also available. Call 494.3820 or 1.800.874.1669, or visit www.SymphonyNovaScotia.ca.

About Jeanne Lamon

Music Director of Tafelmusik since 1981, violinist Jeanne Lamon has been praised by critics in Europe and North America for her strong musical leadership. In addition to performing with and directing Tafelmusik, Jeanne regularly guest directs symphony orchestras in North America and abroad. Jeanne is passionate about teaching young professionals, which she does at the University of Toronto and at the Glenn Gould Professional School of the Royal Conservatory of Music.

About Jeff Joudrey

Chorus master Jeff Joudrey is highly regarded for his vision, musical leadership, and standards of excellence in choral music. Founder of the First Baptist Girls' Choir (1983) and Halifax Camerata Singers (1986), his leadership has provided challenging and rewarding choral opportunities for many Nova Scotia singers. In addition to being Director of Music at First Baptist Church, Jeff is in high demand as a guest conductor, choral clinician, teacher and adjudicator.

About Symphony Nova Scotia Chorus

The Symphony Nova Scotia Chorus was founded in 2001 under the leadership of conductor Jeff Joudrey to provide a highly trained symphonic chorus for performances with Symphony Nova Scotia. Chorus membership includes the Halifax Camerata Singers as the core choir and auditioned singers from around the province.

About Suzie LeBlanc

Internationally renowned soprano Suzie LeBlanc has established an extraordinary career specializing in music of the Baroque and Classical periods. She is artistic director of the newly founded Montréal Baroque Academy and also teaches baroque singing and performance practice at the Faculty of Music of the University of Montréal.

About Vicki St. Pierre

Mezzo soprano Vicki St. Pierre's warm, lush voice invitingly combines clarity of expression and beauty of tone. Highlights of her past seasons include performances with the Menno Singers, the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus, Chorus Niagara, and the Toronto Consort. St. Pierre holds a master's degree in vocal performance from the University of Western Ontario.

About Nils Brown

A distinguished solo performer in oratorio, opera, ensemble, and with symphony orchestras, tenor Nils Brown is regularly engaged by major orchestras and choral organizations in the USA, Canada and Great Britain. Critics have noted his "brilliant projection" and "truly extraordinary legato."

About Christòpheren Nomura

Baritone Christòpheren Nomura has emerged at the forefront of the new generation of American singers. Since making his New York City debut, he has performed throughout the world, hailed as one of classical music's "rising stars" by the Wall Street Journal. He holds a master's degree and artist's diploma from the New England Conservatory of Music.

About Symphony Nova Scotia

Expect the Unexpected with Symphony Nova Scotia – from Baroque to Berlioz to bluegrass! Each year the 37-member ensemble performs for more than 40,000 audience members (including 14,000 young music lovers) in communities across Nova Scotia. Under the inspirational leadership of Bernhard Gueller, Symphony Nova Scotia is recognized as one of the finest orchestras in the country. Join the orchestra in celebrating its 25th anniversary this season!

Messiah Makeover for the TSO

MESSIAH MAKEOVER

for the

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

This holiday season, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra invites audiences to experience Handel's MESSIAH in a whole new way with a production that will dazzle the eyes as well as the ears of everyone in the concert hall.

MESSIAH, a much-loved holiday tradition with the TSO, will this year incorporate a bold visual element courtesy of renowned designer and TV host Glen Peloso, who has created a spectacularly imaginative visual environment to complement Handel's dramatic music.

Peloso's design incorporates unique laser-cut stainless steel 3-D silhouettes of trees and stars that will interplay with Bonnie Beecher's innovative lighting design. Together, these visual elements will combine to create a spectacle that frames and enhances Handel's lush musical score.

Glen Peloso has been working in the world of design for the past ten years since completing a Masters degree in Fine Art. The principal of Glen Peloso Interiors, he is perhaps best known as the star of TV shows Restaurant Makeover, Renovate my Wardrobe, and Take this Home and Sell It. His transformative vision will give Toronto's longest-running Messiah a unique and bold framework for new appreciation and aural enjoyment.

THE TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA presents

TORONTO'S FAVOURITE MESSIAH

Noel Edison, Conductor

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street, Toronto

Tuesday, December 16 @ 8pm; Wednesday, December 17 @ 8pm;

Friday, December 19 @ 8pm; Saturday, December 20 @ 8pm; Sunday, December 21 @ 3pm

Tickets range from $35 - $99

Call the Roy Thomson Hall box office 416.593.4828

or purchase online: http://www.tso.ca

TSO Messiah

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents

Toronto's Favourite MESSIAH

With an Exceptional all Canadian Cast of Young Soloists

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents G.F. Handel's best-loved and most famous masterpiece, MESSIAH, from December 16-21 for five performances only! As always, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir will participate in the festivities, this year lead by their very own Conductor and Artistic Director Noel Edison. As a very special treat, the stellar cast of vocalists is entirely Canadian, and they are all making their TSO debuts! They are: soprano Gillian Keith, mezzo-soprano Allyson McHardy, tenor Frédéric Antoun, and bass Robert Gleadow.

In great demand for performances in recital, oratorio, and opera, soprano Gillian Keith has earned praise particularly for her interpretations of Baroque music. A frequent performer in the UK, she has appeared in principal roles with Royal Opera, Covent Garden, English National Opera, and Scottish Opera.

Mezzo-soprano Allyson McHardy has often been praised for her imagination and versatility. This superb young singer has sung all over Canada and the US, and a number of venues in Europe. She is renowned for the roles of Olga (Eugene Onegin) and Rosina (The Barber of Seville), and is another exceptional baroque interpreter.

Tenor Frédéric Antoun comes to the TSO hot off the heels of his critically acclaimed performances as Belmonte in Opera Atelier's The Abduction from the Seraglio. He's been called a "real findŠ wielding a clear, keenly tuned voice with a velvety sheen" and "an ideal, earnest leading man".

Graduate of the Jette Parker Young Artists Program of the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio, young bass Robert Gleadow has sung numerous leading roles with both companies, as well as at L'Opera de la Bastille and in Santiago, Chile. In the studio, he recorded the role of Lorenzo in I Capuletti e Montecchi for Deutsche Grammophon with Anna Netrebko.

Noel Edison is currently in his 12th year as Toronto Mendelssohn Choir's Conductor and Artistic Director. He records regularly for the Naxos label and his extensive discography includes works by Arvo Pärt; Berlioz's Requiem; the Juno nominated Mystery of Christmas; and Willan's In the Heavenly Kingdom. His latest recording with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is a collection of Christmas music entitled A Festival of Carols: Music for Choir, Brass & Organ.

Beethoven called Handel "the greatest composer that ever lived"; George Bernard Shaw called Handel a "sacred institution"; and King George II called him "the Shakespeare of music." He wrote MESSIAH in a mere 24 days (never once leaving his house) and it quickly became one of his most enduring and successful works. Since December 1949, MESSIAH has been a seasonal tradition at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, spreading joy to more than 350,000 people, and having performed the piece 180 times!

THE TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA presents

TORONTO'S FAVOURITE MESSIAH

Noel Edison, Conductor

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street, Toronto

Tuesday, December 16 @ 8pm; Wednesday, December 17 @ 8pm;

Friday, December 19 @ 8pm; Saturday, December 20 @ 8pm; Sunday, December 21 @ 3pm

Tickets range from $35 - $99

Call the Roy Thomson Hall box office 416.593.4828

or purchase online: http://www.tso.ca

Middlefield Group is a Toronto based management company that is a production sponsor for the TSO's Toronto's Favourite Messiah. Their sponsorship is adding new elements to the performance, including lighting and festive decor.

Minimalist Messiah: Classical Music Consort

The mESSIAH

By G. F. Handel - Performed on Period Instruments

The Chapel at Knox College, University of Toronto

Friday, December 12 at 7:30PM

For Immediate Release – Toronto, November 5, 2008: Toronto’s Classical Music Consort presents Handel's Messiah at The Chapel at Knox College (University of Toronto) on Friday, December 12 at 7:30PM. The sacred oratorio, a perennial audience favourite during the holiday season, is performed here with a minimalist, fresh musical approach: under the direction of artistic director Ashiq Aziz, the Classical Music Consort performs on period instruments, while the CMC choir, comprised of only 8 voices, highlights the textures of Handel’s splendid choruses. This distinctive performance features soprano Charlotte Corwin, alto Susanne Hawkins, tenor Thomas Macleay and bass Giles Tomkins.

Composed over a period of just over three weeks in the summer of 1741 on a libretto provided by Charles Jennens, The Messiah received its first performance in Dublin on 13 April 1742. The proceeds from the concert were donated to local hospitals for the mentally ill. Although the work was conceived and first performed for secular theatre during Lent, it has become common practice since Handel's death to perform Messiah during Advent. The score itself has undergone numerous revisions, as Handel altered the music depending on the forces available for each performance. This performance by the CMC makes an attempt at recreating a version of the score as it was originally intended.

The Classical Music Consort is an enterprising young company, founded and lead by artistic director Ashiq Aziz (who recently returned to Toronto after studying music in England). Establishing the foundations of an accomplished repertoire while aiming to attract a new generation to the resonance and relevance of classical music, the CMC rose to public attention last summer as it presented Handel’s opera, Acis and Galatea as part of the 2008 Toronto Fringe Festival, also garnering praises from the media: 'Ashiq Aziz gets gorgeous sounds from his original-instrument playing orchestra and fine crop of singers' (NOW Toronto); 'The lively work is beautifully played and sung.' (Eye Weekly); '…the whole is so sincerely presented that it is pretty much guaranteed to win your heart.' (Toronto Star).

The Classical Music Consort presents G. F. Handel’s The Messiah

The Chapel at Knox College, University of Toronto

56 St. George Street, on East side, just North of College Street

Friday, December 12, 2008 a 7:30PM

For tickets (adult/$30; student/$15; senior/$15)

please visit: http://www.uofttix.ca/view.php?id=411

www.classicalmusicconsort.org

Handel's Messiah: Elmer Iseler Singers

The Messiah

Conducted by the Legendary Sir David Willcocks

Friday, December 5^th at Metropolitan United Church at 8pm

”Handel understands effect better than any of us” – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

For Immediate Release – Toronto, November 3, 2008: The Elmer Iseler Singers ring in the holiday season on Friday, December 5^th at Metropolitan United Church with the sonorous melodies of the baroque masterpiece, The Messiah by George Friedrich Handel. This year again, the chamber ensemble joins forces with the Amadeus Choir to form an impressive 100-voice choir. To highlight the Elmer Iseler Singers’ 30^th anniversary season, conductor Lydia Adams – who also celebrates her 10^th anniversary as Artistic Director and Conductor, has invited her long-time friend and mentor, the legendary Sir David Willcocks to be at the podium.

Sir David Willcocks (born December 30, 1919) is a renowned British choral conductor, organist, and composer. From 1957 to 1974 he held the post for which he is probably best-known, Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge. He has achieved a standard of performing and teaching second to none in the musical world. Willcocks has conducted in most European countries as well as Japan, the United States and Canada, and edited several collections of choral music. Continuing Canada’s Elmer Iseler Singers commitment to presenting outstanding Canadian soloists, the resounding event features guest artists Leslie Fagan (soprano), Jennifer Enns (mezzo-soprano), Colin Ainsworth (tenor) and Tyler Duncan (bass). A hand-picked orchestra of exceptional Canadian musicians augments the luscious-sounding choruses of Handel’s Messiah along with two featured trumpet players, Robert Venables and Robert DiVito and the distinguished Toronto organist, Patricia Wright.

Messiah is certainly Handel's most popular work and one of the most renowned pieces of sacred music in English. It was also a favorite of the composer, who wrote it in 1741 in only 24 days. The beloved oratorio is performed today in many different ways and circumstances, but Handel’s genius is apparent – the genius recognized by Haydn who said, “He is indeed, the father of us all”; by Mozart, who declared, “Handel understands effect better than any of us”; and by Beethoven, who confessed, “I would uncover my head to kneel down on his tomb.”

Need a stocking stuffer? This special concert is also an opportunity to obtain the newly released biography: ELMER ISELER, Choral Visionary by Walter Pitman – Dundurn Press or one of the Elmer Iseler Singers’ many recordings.

Handel’s MESSIAH conducted by Sir David Willcocks

Friday, December 5^th 2008 at 8:00 p.m.

Metropolitan United Church: 56 Queen St. East (at Bond), Toronto

Tickets: $50 Reg. / $45 Sen. / $10. Students w/ valid student I.D.

Group Rates Also Available! Please call: 416-217-0537

http://www.elmeriselersingers.com/

Handel and Haydn Society appointments

Handel and Haydn Society announces three senior staff appointments

Rita McAteer joins staff as Director of Development and External Affairs, Robert Nairn is named Artistic Administrator, and Clifford H. Rust is appointed Director of Finance and Administration.

BOSTON, October 16, 2008 – The Handel and Haydn Society today announced the appointments of Rita McAteer as Director of Development and External Affairs, Robert Nairn as Artistic Administrator, and Clifford H. Rust as Director of Finance and Administration.

Rita McAteer joined the Society staff as Director of Development and External Affairs for the Handel and Haydn Society on September 30, 2008. In her role, Ms. McAteer directs all income generating activities, which are supported by fundraising, marketing, and communications efforts for the Society’s $3.2M budget. Since 2005, Ms. McAteer had served as Associate Director of Development for Boston Lyric Opera, during which time she doubled foundation giving for the organization while overseeing corporate and foundation giving, annual fund operations, and managing a major donor portfolio. She previously served as Director of Marketing for the Huntington Theatre Company from 1999 until 2005, during which time the number of productions and the budget doubled. As a member of the senior leadership team, she planned, supervised, and executed all aspects of building the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, the first new theatres in Boston in 75 years.

Rob Nairn, principal bass for the Handel and Haydn Society since 2003, assumed his new role as Artistic Administrator on September 26, 2008. His appointment coincides with the announcement of Harry Christophers as the Artistic Director Designate of the Society. In his role, Mr. Nairn will plan and implement artistic programming and policies set forth by the Society’s Artistic Director. Rob Nairn is a versatile performer on the double bass with a career that has spanned Europe, the U.S. and Australasia. Currently Associate Professor at Penn State University, Rob recently joined the Juilliard School’s Academy program in historical performance. Alongside a busy career that includes solo appearances, chamber and orchestral music, Mr. Nairn plans to continue his active concert schedule with the Handel and Haydn Society.

Clifford H. Rust joined the senior staff team at Handel and Haydn Society as Director of Finance and Administration in July 2008. A member of Handel and Haydn Society professional chorus for 15 years, Mr. Rust holds an MBA, cum laude, from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College and a bachelor’s degree in music from Dartmouth College. Mr. Rust taught music before joining the Boston Music Company in 1997, where he served as General Manager until 2003. Until joining the Society, Mr. Rust was CFO and General Manager of Business Operations for Digital Tigers, Inc. in Atlanta, GA.

Commenting on the appointments, Executive Director and /CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard said, “I am delighted to welcome Rita McAteer, Rob Nairn and Cliff Rust to the Handel and Haydn Society family. Their collective experience and abilities make them ideal to direct our artistic and audience development efforts. Together as the senior management team, they will work with me, our Board, our staff and Artistic Director Harry Christophers towards planning successful bi-centennial celebrations for Handel and Haydn Society in 2015. They each bring tremendous qualifications and a genuine love of the music of that Handel and Haydn Society promotes, and I look forward to planning an exciting future for the organization with them.”

The Handel and Haydn Society is a professional period-instrument orchestra and chorus and an internationally recognize­d leader in the field of historically-informed performance. Founded in Boston in 1815, the Society is the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States, with a long history of innovation: it gave the American premieres of Handel’s Messiah (1818), Haydn’s The Creation (1819), Verdi’s Requiem (1878), Bach’s Mass in B Minor (1887), and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (1889). The Society today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Designate Harry Christophers, Artistic Advisor Sir Roger Norrington, Principal Conductor Grant Llewellyn, and Conductor Laureate Christopher Hogwood, is committed to its mission “to perform Baroque and Classical music at the highest levels of artistic excellence and to share that music with as large and diverse an audience as possible.” The Massachusetts Cultural Council has lauded the organization for its “willingness to take risks and explore new musical horizons.”

Yuli Turovsky conducts I Musici de Montreal

The VSO Presents Yuli Turovsky and I Musici de Montréal

Vancouver BC – I Musici de Montreal is one of Canada’s top chamber orchestras, specializing in Chamber and Baroque. The VSO is proud to present them, with their founding director, Yuli Turovsky, for the opening concert of the Bach & Beyond series in a perfect baroque concert: the music of Bach and Handel. I Musici de Montreal performs at The Chan Centre for Performing Arts on October 10^th and 11^th.

“Turovsky, a man of high passion”

--The Montreal Gazette

“I Musici de Montreal is a decidedly virtuoso group”

--South China Morning Post, Hong-Kong

Founded by cellist and conductor, Yuli Turovsky, I Musici de Montreal is a chamber orchestra of 15 musicians that specializes in Baroque repertoire. Maestro Turovsky has joked that back in 1983, he purchased a few batons on sale while in New York City and decided that since he had these new batons, he needed an orchestra to conduct. With this new goal, he went back home and founded I Musici de Montreal. This string orchestra is now celebrating its 25^th anniversary and performs over one hundred concerts annually at home and abroad.

I Musici de Montreal visits Vancouver as part of their Western Canadian Tour, which also includes performances in Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon. The VSO presents them for the first concert of the 5-concert Bach & Beyond series, while the VSO is on its Asia-Pacific Tour.

CONCERT INFO

Bach & Beyond Series

The VSO Presents I Musici de Montréal

Friday, October 10, 8pm Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

Saturday, October 11, 8pm Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

Yuli Turovsky, conductor

I Musici de Montreal

Handel Concerti Grossi, Op.6, No.1 in G Major

Handel Concerti Grossi, Op.6, No.4 in A minor

Handel Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, No.12 in B minor

JS Bach Goldberg Variations

Tickets: $35 to $59 (Senior, Student and Subscriber discounts available)

Tickets available from Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone, 604.280.3311, VSO Customer Service at 604.876.3434, or online at www.vancouversymphony.ca

The VSO’s Bach & Beyond Series Endowed By:

The Chan Foundation of Canada

The presentation of this series is made possible in part through the generous assistance of the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts of the University of British Columbia.

Radio Sponsor:

600AM

BIOGRAPHIES

Yuli Turovsky, conductor

Born in Moscow, dynamic and visionary conductor Yuli Turovsky began studying the cello at age 7. He continued his studies at the prestigious Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Galina Kozulupova and in 1969 received First Prize in the USSR Cello Competition. After graduating, he toured the world as a member of the celebrated Moscow Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Rudolph Barchai.

After immigrating to Canada and establishing himself in Montréal, Yuli Turovsky formed I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra in 1983. An ensemble of 15 strings with a repertoire that extends from the baroque to the contemporary, I Musici de Montréal performs over 100 concerts per year throughout the world.

I Musici de Montréal

Founded by cellist and conductor Yuli Turovsky, I Musici de Montréal is a chamber orchestra of 15 musicians that performs a vast repertoire extending from the Baroque to the Contemporary. The orchestra presents a busy schedule of over 100 concerts per season throughout the world, including three series in Montreal. This extraordinary amount of activity places I Musici de Montréal among the most important touring orchestras in Canada. Since its beginnings, I Musici de Montréal has released more than 40 CDs for the Chandos and Analekta Record Labels that are distributed in more than 50 countries around the world.

These recordings have won the orchestra and Maestro Turovsky many awards, including a Diapason d’Or for their 1988 recording of Shostakovich’s 14^th Symphony and a 1992 Penguin Guide Rosette for their Concerti grossi, opus 6 by Handel. I Musici de Montréal’s recording of Handel has since become a reference recording of the highest standard. In December of 1998, the Conseil québecois de la musique gave two Opus Awards to the orchestra for Recording Event of the Year and Best Recording - contemporary music for a CD grouping works by Gorecki, Pärt and Schnittke. In August 2001, BBC Music Magazine named as their CD of the Month I Musici de Montréal’s 40^th CD, a recording of Miaskovsky, Schnittke and Denisov, naming it “Pickof the month”. In 2007, the orchestra won the Opus Award for their latest record Shostakovich’s Circle and was nominated for a Juno Award.

In 1999, I Musici de Montréal was awarded the Grand Prix by the Montreal Urban Community for their exceptional contribution to music presentation in and around Montreal. In 2004, the Orchestra and Maestro Turovsky received a uniquely special award for International performances presented by the Conseil québécois de la musique. This award saluted the 20^th anniversary of the orchestra and the whole work that made the reputation of the orchestra throughout the years.

Under the dynamic and visionary direction of Maestro Yuli Turovsky who also performs as cello soloist with the orchestra, I Musici de Montréal has performed in some of the greatest halls in the world: New York’s Lincoln Center, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany, the Seiji Ozawa Hall in Tanglewood, the Tonhalle in Zürich, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the Kioi Hall in Tokyo and Philharmonie in Luxemburg, among others. Public enthusiasm and critical acclaim underlining the precision, cohesion and virtuosity of their performance as well as the brilliant and distinctive sound of the orchestra confirm I Musici de Montréal’s importance on the world’s musical stage.

Handel and Haydn Society Announces Celebration 2009

Handel and Haydn Society OBSERVES ANNIVERSARIES OF NAMESAKe COMPOSERS IN 2008-2009 Season with Celebration 2009

Premier chorus and period-instrument orchestra presents Celebration 2009, commemorating 250^th and 200^th anniversaries of deaths of Handel and Haydn. Musical offerings include all-Handel program conducted by Harry Christophers; the Society’s 155^th annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, led by Paul Daniel; and two Haydn programs conducted by Sir Roger Norrington, including concert performance of the seldom heard Haydn opera L’anima del filosofo.

Celebration 2009 culminates in free, outdoor performance of Haydn’s masterwork, The Creation, on Boston’s Esplanade, on May 31, 2009, conducted by Grant Llewellyn.

Celebratory season demonstrates renewed community commitment with the launch of cultural and educational partnerships throughout the greater Boston area.

July 16, 2008 (Updated: September 9, 2008) (Boston, MA)—The Handel and Haydn Society, America’s oldest continuously-performing arts organization, marks an important musical anniversary year with Celebration 2009, in observance of anniversaries of the deaths of George Friderick Handel (1685–April 14, 1759) and Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–May 31, 1809), as well as the births of Henry Purcell (1659–1695) and Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847). The Handel and Haydn Society’s celebratory season features music of these four composers, as well as of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms. In addition to Artistic Advisor Sir Roger Norrington and Principal Conductor Grant Llewellyn, the Society welcomes back regular guest conductor Harry Christophers, and the Society’s Associate Conductor and Chorusmaster, John Finney. Celebration 2009 will culminate on May 31, 2009, with a free concert of Haydn’s masterwork The Creation on Boston’s Esplanade.

During the 2008-2009 season, the Handel and Haydn Society bolsters its tradition of community outreach, presenting performances, forums, and educational programs through newly developed partnerships with leading area universities and colleges, and unprecedented collaborations with some of Boston’s finest cultural institutions. The Celebration 2009 project is intended to generate civic dialogue around the role of great music, past and present. When the Handel and Haydn Society was founded in 1815, its stated purpose was to perform “the best of the old and the new”—represented by Handel (considered at the time a composer of an earlier age) and Haydn (a relatively “new” composer who had passed away just a few years earlier). The 2009 anniversary year enables the Society to commemorate its namesake composers in a relevant and entertaining way; it also presents an important opportunity to translate the Society’s historical charter to the 21^st century, and to develop a performing arts model for engaging audiences in the role of classical music—past, present, and future—in their lives and their communities.

Celebratory season of both well-known and rarely-heard repertoire features renowned conductors along with established and emerging soloists

The 2008-2009 season features important works of the past and the present, from Haydn’s rarely heard opera L’anima del filosofo (Orfeo ed Euridice) and his authoritative The Creation, to music for the theater by Purcell, to a new work by Boston composer Thomas Vignieri that reflects on the influence of Handel. The Society has engaged conductors of international renown to lead energetic programs throughout the season; in addition to Artistic Advisor Norrington and Principal Conductor Llewellyn, and Harry Christophers (Music Director of The Sixteen) with whom Handel and Haydn has enjoyed an acclaimed partnership over the past three years, the Society welcomes to the podium period specialists Richard Egarr, Paul Daniel, Paul Goodwin, and Jean-Marie Zeitouni in their debuts with Handel and Haydn. Soloists include distinguished singers Sarah Coburn, Nathalie Paulin, Kendra Colton, and Andrew Kennedy, cellist Phoebe Carrai and Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts in his Boston debut, as well as rising young performers such as mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy, who began her solo career with the Handel and Haydn Society.

Free community concert on Boston Esplanade on May 31, 2009, features Haydn’s Creation

The Society will perform a free, outdoor concert for the City of Boston, featuring Principal Conductor Grant Llewellyn conducting the Handel and Haydn period-instrument ensemble and chorus in Haydn’s masterwork The Creation. Held on Boston’s famed Esplanade, which has a capacity for more than 16,000 people, this community event is planned for broadcast with the potential of reaching several hundred thousand more people throughout the United States. This marks the third time the Society has performed on the Esplanade, the last time in 1990. A pre-concert performance will showcase the Handel and Haydn Youth Choruses, now in their 24^th year.

This event holds significance for two reasons: Handel and Haydn Society performed the American premiere of The Creation in 1819; additionally, while preparation for celebrations of the 2009 musical anniversaries has been underway in Great Britain and Europe for some time, Handel and Haydn is uniquely positioned to take the lead on an American observance. The Society is one of the only music organizations in the United States to take part in an international observance of the 200^th anniversary of Haydn’s death on May 31, 2009, when The Creation will be performed on the same day around the world by other renowned ensembles.

Society expands Educational and Community Outreach Programs

In the 2008-2009 season, Handel and Haydn will invigorate its educational and community outreach programs with expanded programs, venues, and access for children and adults. As part of Celebration 2009, Handel and Haydn will offer the children and schools it currently serves even greater access to music and music education, and will also reach new people in the community, by giving free performances and musical demonstrations in public spaces, such as the Boston Public Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Boston Athenaeum, and other collaborating venues. Celebration 2009 will also build on the Society’s use of electronic media in recent seasons by using podcasts; music, conductor’s insights, and lectures on the Society’s website; and video broadcasts as an important educational and audience-development tool. Handel and Haydn Society will make a live recording of L’anima del filosofo under Sir Roger Norrington on the Signum Records label for release in May 2009, commemorating the anniversary of the composer’s death.

In Celebration 2009, the Society also explores new and enhanced partnerships with New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, Northeastern University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Tufts University to train the players and singers of the future in Baroque and Classical performance styles and techniques through masterclasses, symposia, interaction with professional conductors and musicians, access to rehearsals and performances, and collaborations between musicians and music faculty. These partnerships are the first step toward the Handel and Haydn Academy, a pre-professional period-performance training program that the Society plans to launch in the 2009-2010 season.

This expanded outreach draws on the Society’s longstanding tradition in the community, dating back to the 19^th century when the Society organized large-scale charity events and made great music available to the people of Boston. Over the past 24 years, Handel and Haydn’s award-winning Educational Outreach Program, founded in 1984 to address the lack of music education in public school systems due to funding cuts, has grown significantly and won accolades for bringing vocal training and performance opportunities to thousands of children in some of Greater Boston’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Interdisciplinary collaborations with American and international music organizations

In addition to its cultural and educational partners in Boston, Handel and Haydn will also partner in 2008-2009 with the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria, at which Handel and Haydn performed in September 2006, and which is organizing the worldwide performances of The Creation on May 31, 2009; the Haydn Society of North America, dedicated to promoting the legacy of Haydn; and Handel House Museum in London, with whom the Society has a longstanding relationship. Handel and Haydn Society has named the president of the Haydn Society of North America, Dr. Michael Ruhling, its 2008-2009 HIP Fellow (program annotator and scholarly contributor to Handel and Haydn’s musical programs); Handel and Haydn also partners with Longy School of Music to host the Haydn Society of North America’s 2009 conference, which takes place in Cambridge and Boston, MA, the week of May 25, 2009, and will close with the outdoor performance of The Creation.

HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY 2008-2009 SEASON CALENDAR

1. Masterclass with Harry Christophers

Monday, September 29 at 4.30pm

Tufts University

Harry Christophers coaches the Tufts University Choir on the Fauré Requiem.

2. Celebrate Handel! Sponsored by Sasso Restaurant & Bar

Friday, October 3 at 8pm

Sunday, October 5 at 3pm

Symphony Hall

Harry Christophers, conductor

Gillian Keith, soprano

Handel and Haydn Society Chorus

Handel: Coronation Anthems; Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon); Selections from Jephtha and Semele

3. Community Performance: Rose Kennedy Greenway Inaugural Celebration

Saturday, October 4 (Time: TBA)

Handel and Haydn Young Women’s Chorus

Handel and Haydn Young Women’s Chorus—one of the Society’s four youth choruses—performs at the Mothers’ Walk Dedication Ceremony for the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

4. Reception at Somerset Club

Saturday, October 4 from 6.30-8pm

Somerset Club, 42 Beacon Street

Hosted by Nick Gleysteen, Wat Tyler, and Robert Scott

5. Community Event: Opening Our Doors

Monday, October 13 from 10am-4pm

Handel and Haydn Society Performance at 2pm

Mary Baker Eddy Library/First Church of Christ, Scientist Plaza

The Fenway Alliance hosts a full day of open events and short performances for Huntington Avenue- and Fenway-area academic, cultural, and arts organizations. Experience a live performance on period-instruments, with a demonstration on the differences between modern and historical instruments. Discover the breadth of vocal training programs offered by the Society to Boston-area youth, and meet some of our promising young vocal talent.

6. Handel and Haydn at Boston Public Library

Friday, October 31 at 6pm

Boston Public Library

Members of Handel and Haydn and guests discuss Handel’s Messiah and compare recordings, while discovering the treasures hidden in the rare books collection of the Boston Public Library.

7. Haydn’s Legacy: Mozart and Beethoven

Friday, November 7 at 8pm

Sunday, November 9 at 3pm

Symphony Hall

Richard Egarr, conductor & fortepiano

Mozart: Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major, K. 16; Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488

Beethoven: Creatures of Prometheus Overture; Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93

8. Messiah

Friday, December 5 at 7.30pm

Saturday, December 6 at 3pm

Sunday, December 7 at 3pm

Symphony Hall

Paul Daniel, conductor

Kendra Colton, soprano

Paula Murrihy, mezzo-soprano

Brian Stucki, tenor

Brett Polegato, baritone

Handel and Haydn Society Chorus

9. A Bach Christmas Sponsored by Boston Private Bank & Trust Company

Thursday, December 18 at 8pm

Sunday, December 21 at 3pm

New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall

John Finney, conductor

Handel and Haydn Society Chorus

Bach: Magnificat, BWV 243; Cantata No. 151, Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt; Cantata No. 191, Gloria in excelsis Deo

10. Haydn’s Orfeo

Friday, January 23 at 8pm

Sunday, January 25 at 3pm

Symphony Hall

Sir Roger Norrington, conductor

Sarah Coburn, Euridice

Andrew Kennedy, Orfeo

Christopher Maltman, Creonte

Handel and Haydn Society Chorus

Haydn: L’anima del filosofo (Orfeo ed Euridice)

11. The Haydn Experience Symposium

Saturday, January 24 at 1.30pm (time subject to change)

New England Conservatory

Sir Roger Norrington and Haydn scholars discuss the myth of Orfeo and L’anima del filosofo. Members of the Handel and Haydn Society join in a chamber music performance of Haydn’s works.

12. Handel and Haydn at Boston Public Library

Friday, February 20 at 6pm

Boston Public Library

Members of Handel and Haydn and guests discuss Handel’s Messiah and compare recordings, while discovering the treasures hidden in the media collection of the Boston Public Library.

13. Baroque Grand Tour

Friday, February 27 at 8pm

Sunday, March 1 at 3pm

New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall

Paul Goodwin, conductor

Handel and Haydn Society Chorus

Couperin: Concert dans le goût théâtral

Purcell: Funeral Sentences; The Masque from Dioclesian

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto, No. 3

14. Noon Concert at the Boston Athenaeum

Thursday, March 5 at 12.15pm

Boston Athenaeum

Musicians from Handel and Haydn play Haydn Trios and discuss the legacy of the great composer.

15. Romantic Brahms

March 20 at 8pm

March 22 at 8pm

Symphony Hall

Grant Llewellyn, conductor

Ilya Gringolts, violin

Handel and Haydn Society Chorus

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64

Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor

Vignieri: Fanfare for Voices (Tribute to Handel; World Premiere)

16. Music at Fever Pitch

Friday, April 3 at 8pm at Old South Church

Sunday, April 5 at 3pm at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall

Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor

Phoebe Carrai, cello

Telemann: Burlesque de Don Quixote

C.P.E. Bach: Cello Concerto in A Major

Handel: Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op. 6, No. 6

Rebel: Les Elémens

17. Haydn in London

Friday, April 24 at 8pm

Sunday, April 26 at 3pm

Symphony Hall

Sir Roger Norrington, conductor

Nathalie Paulin, soprano

Haydn: Symphony No. 99 in E-flat Major; Scena di Berenice, cantata for soprano and orchestra; March for the Prince of Wales; Adagio from Divertimento for nine instruments in F Major; English Songs: “Sailor's Song,” “Sympathy,” “She Never Told Her Love,” “Fidelity;” Symphony No. 92 in G Major, “Oxford”

18. Haydn Symposium

Saturday, April 25 at 1.30pm (time subject to change)

Location: TBA

Sir Roger Norrington and Haydn scholars discuss Haydn’s London period and its influence on his later work. Members of the Handel and Haydn Society join in a chamber music performance of Haydn’s works.

19. Gala Benefit: “The Society Ball”

Saturday, April 25 at 6.30pm

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

The Society Ball features music, dance and auction to benefit the artistic and educational initiatives of Handel and Haydn Society.

20. Haydn: The Creation

Sunday, May 31 at 3pm

The Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, Boston (Rain Location: Symphony Hall)

Grant Llewellyn, conductor

Elizabeth Watts, soprano

Stanford Olsen, tenor

Eric Owens, bass

Handel and Haydn Society Chorus

Pre-concert performance by the Handel and Haydn Society Youth Choruses

All programs and artists are subject to change.

2008–2009 Season Subscription Information

Now on sale, subscriptions ($45-$527) may be purchased through the Handel and Haydn Box Office 1) by phone at 617 266 3605, 2) online at www.handelandhaydn.org, or 3) in person at the Handel and Haydn office, Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston (M-F 10.00 am - 6.00 pm). Single tickets go on sale September 2, 2008.

The Handel and Haydn Society is a professional chorus and period-instrument orchestra and an internationally recognize­d leader in the field of historically-informed performance. Founded in Boston in 1815, the Society is the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States, with a long history of innovation: it gave the American premieres of Handel’s Messiah (1818), Haydn’s The Creation (1819), Verdi’s Requiem (1878), Bach’s Mass in B Minor (1887), and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (1889). The Society today, under the leadership of Artistic Advisor Sir Roger Norrington, Principal Conductor Grant Llewellyn, and Conductor Laureate Christopher Hogwood, is committed to its mission “to perform Baroque and Classical music at the highest levels of artistic excellence and to share that music with as large and diverse an audience as possible.” The Massachusetts Cultural Council has lauded the organization for its “willingness to take risks and explore new musical horizons.”