Directed by Ivars Taurins
Featuring guest soloists
Hélène Brunet, soprano; Cecilia Duarte, mezzo-soprano;
Charles Daniels, tenor; Jesse Blumberg, baritone
Nov. 22, 23 & 24
“The best period-performance choir anywhere in the world.”
—The Globe & Mail
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir launches the Yuletide season with a jubilant burst of music by J.S. Bach. Last performed by Tafelmusik in 2015, Bach Christmas Oratorio bears the unmistakable hallmark of the composer’s genius. Directed by Ivars Taurins in the intimate setting of Jeanne Lamon Hall and featuring four superb guest vocal soloists, the music balances joy and exuberance with tenderness and simplicity, perfectly capturing the wonder of the nativity story. Performances take place on Nov 22 & 23 at 8 PM and Nov 24 at 3 PM. Tickets are available at Tafelmusik.org.
“Bach Christmas Oratorio offers cathartic joy, solace, contemplation, and refreshment for the soul,” says Ivars Taurins, Choir Director. “It shares with us the gifts of joy and hope through Bach’s masterful and luminous music.”
The enduring story of Jesus’ birth unfolds in a sequence of spirited choruses, richly harmonized chorales, and poetic arias, while the tenor Evangelist provides a continuous narrative arc. A full range of Bach’s orchestral colours is punctuated by jubilant trumpets and timpani. Sung in German, the oratorio was written by Bach in 1734 to be sung at services in Leipzig over the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Vocal soloists making their Tafelmusik debuts—Hélène Brunet, soprano; Cecilia Duarte, mezzo-soprano; and Jesse Blumberg, baritone—bring extra depth and expressiveness to both the human and divine aspects of the story. Renowned English tenor Charles Daniels brings his “technically brilliant, impassioned, and lyrically supple” voice (BBC Music Magazine) to the role of the Evangelist. Guest artist biographies are available at https://tafelmusik.org/concerts-events/concerts/bach-christmas-oratorio/.
Tafelmusik extends the seasonal theme with its eagerly anticipated performances of Handel’s Messiah at Koerner Hall on December 20 & 21, and Sing-Along Messiah, which returns to Massey Hall on December 22.
LISTING INFORMATION:
Tafelmusik presents Bach Christmas Oratorio
Directed by Ivars Taurins
Featuring guest soloists Hélène Brunet, soprano; Cecilia Duarte, mezzo-soprano;
Charles Daniels, tenor; Jesse Blumberg, baritone
Nov. 22 & 23 at 8 PM; Nov 24 at 3 PM
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
Tickets start at $20 at Tafelmusik.org.
Tafelmusik gratefully acknowledges the support of BMO, Presenting Sponsor of the 2024/25 concert season, as well as support from Brookfield 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.
ABOUT TAFELMUSIK
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. Performed on instruments and in styles appropriate to the era, 17th- to 19th-century instrumental and choral music share the stage with exciting multimedia programs, bold new commissions, and intriguing cross-cultural collaborations. From a vibrant home season in Toronto, to international tours, award-winning recordings, and inspiring education programs, Tafelmusik is a musical powerhouse with a reputation for thrilling and delighting audiences.
Website: tafelmusik.org
Social media: Join the conversation on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
Media contact:
Luisa Trisi, Big Picture Communications
luisa@luisatrisi.com | 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1X7