The first choral concert of the season pairs two magnificent settings of the same text by masters of the baroque
Toronto, ON, (October 20, 2025) – Tafelmusik invites audiences to experience the splendour of baroque Italy with Double Dixit: Lotti & Handel, the first choral concert of the 2025/26 season. Presented for three performances only, November 28 and 29 at 8:00 pm, and November 30 at 3:00 pm, at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, this illuminating program showcases two strikingly different yet intertwined visions of the same sacred text.
Handel’s arresting setting of Psalm 110, Dixit Dominus, was composed a few months after the composer’s arrival in Italy as an ambitious 21-year-old. Its 1707 premiere struck audiences like a thunderbolt—bold, daring, and sensuous in its musical language. Hints in Handel’s score suggest inspiration from Venetian composer Antonio Lotti, whose own exuberant Dixit Dominus captures the spirit of Venetian opulence and vocal brilliance.
Under the direction of Choir Director Ivars Taurins, Tafelmusik’s orchestra and choir bring both works to life in a performance that highlights the depth, drama, and dazzling interplay of baroque choral writing.
“This program is something I’ve long wanted to share with audiences,” says Ivars Taurins, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Director. “To hear Lotti’s Venetian splendour alongside Handel’s Roman bravura is to witness two brilliant minds responding to the same sacred words, each in their own language of faith, theatre, and joy.”
“The ambition and energy of Handel’s and Lotti’s Dixit Dominus settings offer an exciting canvas for the passion and talent of Tafelmusik’s orchestra and choir,” adds Cristina Zacharias, Tafelmusik Artistic Co-Director. “Led by our own Choir Director Ivars Taurins, this program promises a thrilling opportunity to understand the unique talents and styles of Handel and Lotti.”
Double Dixit: Lotti & Handel offers audiences a rare opportunity to hear these two masterpieces side by side, a musical dialogue that reveals the evolution of baroque expression from Venice to Rome.
Performance Details
Tafelmusik presents: Double Dixit: Lotti & Handel
Tafelmusik Chamber Choir
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
Directed by Ivars Taurins
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
427 Bloor Street West, Toronto
Friday, November 28, 2025 – 8:00 pm
Saturday, November 29, 2025 – 8:00 pm
Sunday, November 30, 2025 – 3:00 pm
Running Time: 120 minutes
Style of Music: Baroque choral
Tickets: tafelmusik.org
Media Images, click HERE.
New Album Release
Tafelmusik is delighted to announce the release of a new recording, A Handel Celebration, on November 21, 2025. The beautiful 2-CD box set will be available for the first time at Tafelmusik’s Double Dixit performances. The album will also be available on all major streaming services.
A Handel Celebration is a salute to George Frideric Handel, one of the greatest musical dramatists of all time. Handel’s music explores the full spectrum of our emotional experience—from the purest joy to the most poignant sorrow. Recorded live in concert, Tafelmusik’s recording features soprano Amanda Forsythe and tenor Thomas Hobbs joining the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Tafelmusik Chamber Choir in a tapestry of arias, duets, and choruses from Handel’s splendid oratorios, directed by Ivars Taurins.
Media Images, click HERE.
Accessible Tickets for 35 & Under Audiences
Tafelmusik is committed to making world-class music accessible to the next generation of concertgoers through Tafelscene, a program for audience members aged 19 to 35. Tafelscene members can purchase tickets to most concerts for just $20 (plus fees) and enjoy a complimentary drink during intermission. It’s an unbeatable way to experience the orchestra—no formal wear required, just great music and a welcoming community of young music lovers.
Subscriptions Now Available for the 2025/26 Season
Tafelmusik invites audiences to make music a part of their year with a 2025/26 season subscription. Subscribers enjoy a host of benefits, including priority seating, significant savings, flexible ticket exchanges, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. With curated packages available for both seasoned concertgoers and those new to the experience, including the Flex Package, subscribing is the best way to ensure a full season of exceptional live music at world class venues across Toronto.
About Tafelmusik
Brandon Chui, Dominic Teresi & Cristina Zacharias, Artistic Co-Directors
Glenn Hodgins, Executive Director
Every now and then a group of musicians comes along and changes the way we think about music. For over four decades, Tafelmusik has been synonymous worldwide with dynamic, engaging, and soulful performances informed by scholarship, passion and artistic excellence.
Performing on instruments and in styles appropriate to the era, Tafelmusik has performed in more than 350 cities in 32 countries. Its extensive discography on the Sony, CBC Records, Analekta and Tafelmusik Media labels have garnered ten JUNOs and numerous international recording prizes. From a vibrant home season in Toronto, to international tours, award-winning recordings, innovative collaborations, and inspiring education programs, Tafelmusik is a musical powerhouse with a reputation for thrilling and delighting audiences. www.tafelmusik.org
Website: tafelmusik.org
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Tafelmusik gratefully acknowledges the support of BMO, Presenting Sponsor of the 2025/26 concert season, as well as support from the Azrieli Foundation and Power Corporation of Canada. We are also grateful to our government partners Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute is generously supported by Lynn & James Haight, The Azrieli Foundation, and the McLean Foundation.
For interviews, media access, or high-resolution images, please contact:
DMPUBLIC
Deanne Moser
deanne@dmpublic.com
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