November 25, 2012, 4:00 p.m.
On Sunday, November 25th at 4:00 p.m. the Miami Bach Society under the direction of Donald Oglesby, artistic director, will presents Bach’s exquisite holiday masterpiece, the Christmas Oratorio. It will be held at the first United Methodist Church of Coral Gables. Performing under Dr. Oglesby’s direction will be the University of Miami-Frost School of Music’s Collegium Musicum and the Miami Bach Society’s Chamber Players.
Featuring tenor Tony Boutté as the Evangelist, other soloists include Alissa Roca, soprano, Katherine Wiggins, mezzo-soprano, Jeffery Williams, baritone and Carl DuPont, bass-baritone. These soloists and other singers: Katherine Kupchik, soprano, John Guarente, countertenor, Justin Moniz, tenor and Jeremy Zglobicki, tenor will comprise a newly formed vocal chamber ensemble, Vox/Arcanum.
The Christmas Oratorio, or Weihnachts-Oratorium, is a set of six sacred cantatas, each depicting a different scene from Christ’s birth. In this concert Parts 1–3 will be performed. The first part (for Christmas Day) describes the birth of Jesus, the second (for December 26) the annunciation to the shepherds, the third (for December 27) the adoration of the shepherds. Each of the cantatas has its own orchestration, and tone, but they are unified by being in the key of D and by the joyful and celebratory emotion that is evident throughout the work.
Gone is the somber mood of the St Matthew Passion. There are bells, trumpets, tympani and joyful choruses throughout. Lutheran hymns play a large part in the Christmas Oratorio, and most of them would have been well known to Bach’s audience. This is Bach at his most exhilarating and joyful.
Tickets are $30 general admission and $40 preferred seating. Students 18 years old and younger are admitted free of charge. College students, graduate students and New World Symphony Fellows pay $5. Tickets can be ordered by phone at 305.669.1376 or at www.miamibachsociety.org.
The Miami Bach Society at the United Methodist Church
536 Coral Way
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305.669.1376
www.miamibachsociety.org
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