On Sunday, June 5, the Calgary Bach Choir presents works for choir and chamber string orchestra with Calgary's professional chamber music ensemble, Kensington Sinfonia.
The concert features the music of Vivaldi including his famous Gloria, RV 589 with its Introduction for coloratura soprano, strings, and continuo (Calgary premiere). The RV 589 Gloria is a familiar and popular piece among sacred works by Vivaldi. Vocal soloists Andrea Hill (mezzo-soprano), Lauren Woods (soprano), and Jonquil Koddo (soprano) will be featured.
Born in Venice in 1678, Antonio Vivaldi was better known as “the Red Priest” due to the colour of his hair. He studied for the priesthood and was ordained in 1703, but it was his renown as a violinist which led to his appointment as violin-master at the Ospedale della Pietà – one of four Venetian charitable institutions established for the education of orphaned and abandoned girls – training the girls to become accomplished singers and instrumentalists. Some of the more talented girls continued to serve there as assistant teachers to earn the dowry necessary for marriage. Indeed, so famous was the Pietà for its fine musical tradition that visitors to Venice often left vivid descriptions of its religious services of Mass, Vespers and Compline. The departure in 1713 of Gasparini, maestro di coro of the Pietà, provided Vivaldi with the opportunity to show his ability in sacred choral composition. It was during this period from 1713-1717 that Vivaldi composed his famous ‘Gloria’.
The concert will also feature Kensington Sinfonia - Calgary’s original string ensemble. Composed of professional orchestra members, their repertoire ranges from the Renaissance and Baroque eras through Classical, Romantic, Modern, and Contemporary. The sinfonia will present selections from Max Richter's Recomposed: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - one of the most talked-about new classical works of recent times. This piece uses Vivaldi's material as subject matter and infusing it with a minimalist slant. The result is sublime, approachable and appealing.
The concert will take place on Sunday, June 5, 2022 at 3 p.m. at Knox United Church (506 - 4 Street SW, Calgary) Tickets are $20 (adults/seniors) and FREE (students/children) and are available online or at the door (cash only).
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