{"id":109453,"date":"2024-11-13T16:38:26","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T21:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=109453"},"modified":"2024-11-14T07:00:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T12:00:05","slug":"preview-tafelmusik-ottawa-bach-choir-offer-bachs-christmas-oratorio-toronto-ottawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/11\/13\/preview-tafelmusik-ottawa-bach-choir-offer-bachs-christmas-oratorio-toronto-ottawa\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Tafelmusik And The Ottawa Bach Choir Offer Bach\u2019s Christmas Oratorio In Toronto And Ottawa"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"L:
L: Painting of JS Bach by Gebel, before 1798 (Photo July 22, 2014 by J\u00f6rg Hansen Bachhaus.eisenach \/ CC by 3.0<\/a>); R: Holiday graphic courtesy of Ottawa Bach Choir<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tafelmusik and the Ottawa Bach Choir will both be presenting Bach\u2019s Christmas Oratorio for the holiday season. Tafelmusik will present the work on November 22 to 24, while it opens the season for the Ottawa Bach Choir on November 30.<\/p>\n

\u201cBach\u2019s Christmas Oratorio is the epitome of the nativity story, composed at the height of the Baroque period and told through a dramatically unified combination of thrilling large-scale choruses, poignant Biblical narrative, beautifully scored solo arias and richly harmonized chorales, all adorned in Bach\u2019s brilliant musical style,\u201d says Ottawa Bach Choir Founder and Artistic Director Lisette Canton<\/strong> in a statement.<\/p>\n

Bach\u2019s Christmas Oratorio or Weihnachtsoratorium BWV 248, was composed for the holiday season in 1734, during his time in Leipzig. The piece is written in six parts, six linked cantatas, and intended for a church service.<\/p>\n

Bach recycled parts of earlier secular cantatas he\u2019d written over the previous year, along with a church cantata that has largely been lost to time (designated BWV 248a). That makes it what is called a sacred parody, and the work was devalued by critics for decades for that reason.<\/p>\n

Tafelmusik (November 22, 23 & 24)<\/h2>\n

Tafelmusik last presented Bach\u2019s Christmas Oratorio in 2015, and they\u2019ll bring their usual historically informed approach to the piece. Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, directed by\u00a0Ivars Taurins\u00a0 will sing the Oratorio in German, accompanied by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, with four guest soloists.<\/p>\n

Guest artists<\/h3>\n

H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Brunet, soprano<\/h4>\n

H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Brunet\u2019s repertoire spans centuries from the baroque era to the present. She won the 2022 JUNO Award for her first solo album on the ATMA Classique label, titled Solfeggio, recorded with the ensemble L\u2018Harmonie des saisons. With the win, she became first artist to ever win for a solo album in the category Large Ensembles at the JUNOs. A prize winner at the Lyndon Woodside Oratorio-Solo Competition at Carnegie Hall, today H\u00e9l\u00e8ne performs regularly across North America and Europe.<\/p>\n

Cecilia Duarte, mezzo-soprano<\/h4>\n

Cecilia Duarte performs as a soloist in the Grammy-Winning album Durufl\u00e9: The Complete Choral Works with the Houston Chamber Choir (2020). She\u2019s a native of Chihuahua, Mexico, and adept in diverse styles of music, including both early and contemporary music. She often performs with the Houston Grand Opera, among other companies.<\/p>\n

Charles Daniels, tenor<\/h4>\n

The noted English tenor sings the role of the Evangelist. He is lauded for his interpretations of Baroque repertoire, including several acclaimed recordings. He is in demand as a concert performer, including appearances at the BBC Proms and De Nederlandse Bach Vereniging, among many others. His completion of Purcell\u2019s Arise my Muse\u00a0was broadcast on Radio-Canada for the Montr\u00e9al Baroque Festival, and he\u2019s a frequent Tafelmusik guest performer.<\/p>\n

Jesse Blumberg, baritone<\/h4>\n

Jesse Blumberg has performed featured roles at several North American companies, including Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Atlanta Opera, Boston Early Music Festival, Opera Atelier, and in Europe at Ch\u00e2teau de Versailles Spectacles and London\u2019s Royal Festival Hall. He is equally in demand as a concert soloist, and has performed with ensembles across North America and Europe. He\u2019s featured on nearly 30 recordings, including two Grammy-winning releases in 2015 and 2019.<\/p>\n