Événement

Mendelssohn, Purcell, and Handel Celebrations

Our anniversary celebrations continue with a gala concert featuring rarely performed masterworks by major composers, focusing on the Bicentennial of Mendelssohn's birth with his spectacular Kyrie in C minor for double choir and two of his chorale cantatas for choir and string orchestra: Christe, du Lamm Gottes and Jesu meine Freude. All eight cantatas remained unpublished during his lifetime and were only rediscovered between 1972 and 1983. Also featured is his beloved motet, Mitten wir im Leben sind.

The brilliant composer Henry Purcell lived only 36 years, yet he produced a rich treasure of choral works. 350 years after his birth, Opus 7 presents two of his most musically daring anthems: In the midst of life we are in death and Remember not, Lord, our offences. George Frideric Handels works are known far and wide, yet his eleven superb Chandos Anthems for choir, solo voices, and orchestra are mostly unknown. Our performance of Chandos Anthem No. 6 marks the 250th anniversary of his death. Fast-forwarding to the 20th century, we honor Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos on the 50th anniversary of his death with his lush motet Cor dulce, cor amabile (Sweet heart, Loving heart). Dont miss this opportunity to hear an unforgettable evening of rarely heard choral masterworks.