A program of Arias by Handel, Vivaldi, and Others—October 28 in Boston
| ARTIST: | Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor& Ensemble ArtaserseRaul Orellana & Jose Manuel Navarro, violin; Marco Massera, viola; Ruth Verona, violoncello; Yoko Nakamura, harpsichord; Josias Rodriguez Gandara, theorbo |
| WHEN: | Friday, October 28, 2022 at 8pm ETNew England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough Street, Boston, MAVirtual Premiere: Friday, November 11, 2022 at 8pm ETAvailable until Friday, November 25, 2022 at 11:59pm ET |
| PROGRAM: | Operatic Brilliance: Arias by Handel, Vivaldi, and OthersGiovanni Battista Ferrandini: Sinfonia in B-flat majorJohann Adolph Hasse: “Sperai vicino il lido” from Il DemofoonteHasse: “Misero pargoletto” from Il DemofoonteHasse: Trio Sonata in E minor, Op. 2 No. 1Ferrandini: “Gelido in ogni vena” from Siroe re di PersiaNiccolò Piccinni: “Oh dei! Questo tra I mali mei” and “Ah non resiste il core” from Il TigraneGeorge Frideric Handel: “Se parla nel mio cor” from GiustinoHandel: Sinfonia and “Cara sposa” from RinaldoAntonio Vivaldi: Concerto for strings in G minorVivaldi: “Gelido in ogni vena” from Il FarnaceVivaldi: “Se in ogni guardo” from Orlando finto pazzoPlease note, the Virtual Premiere will feature an alternate program—Inspiration: Music of Vivaldi, Pergolesi, and Scarlatti—pre-recorded at the Royaumont Abbey with Le Concert de la Loge, directed by Julien Chauvin. |
| TICKETS: | Tickets are priced at $125, $90, $60, $45, and $25 for the in-person performance, and $25 for the virtual event. All in-person tickets include a complimentary ticket for the virtual performance. To purchase tickets, visit BEMF.org or call the BEMF Box Office at 617-661-1812. Discounts are available for students and seniors. |
ABOUT THE PROGRAMWorld-renowned countertenor superstar Philippe Jaroussky makes a triumphant return to BEMF to open the 2022–2023 Season leading his Ensemble Artaserse in a beguiling program of opera arias and instrumental interludes. Heralded both for his uniquely captivating and nuanced voice and his keen musical curiosity, Jaroussky shares a selection of brilliant and beloved arias by Handel and Vivaldi alongside rarely heard gems by Baroque masters Hasse, Piccinni, and Ferrandini.
ABOUT THE VIRTUAL PROGRAMDue to contractual limitations, we will not be able to produce a video recording of our in-person concert featuring Philippe Jaroussky and Ensemble Artaserse. We have secured an alternate and equally thrilling virtual performance titled Inspiration: Music of Vivaldi, Pergolesi, and Scarlatti featuring some of Jaroussky’s favorite sacred pieces by these three composers, recorded at the Royaumont Abbey in 2020 with Le Concert de la Loge, directed by Julien Chauvin.
Alessandro Scarlatti: Infirmata, vulnerataVivaldi: Concerto for Strings and Basso continuo in G minor RV 156Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus in G minor (Psalm 126) RV 608Francesco Durante: Selections from Concerto for Strings No. 1 in F minorGiovanni Battista Pergolesi: Salve regina in F minor
COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLSAs we return to in-person performances with our 2022–2023 Season, the health and safety of our audience, employees, and artists is our highest priority. BEMF is requiring patrons to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated. Patrons may use either paper or electronic documentation. All staff and musicians will also be required to be vaccinated. In addition, we will require patrons to wear a well-fitted mask covering their nose and mouth at ALL times at the concert venue, including throughout the performance. Visit BEMF.org/safety to review our current safety policies.
ASSOCIATED EVENTSAn informative pre-concert video will be shared on social media and at BEMF.org the week of October 24.
ABOUT THE ARTISTSIn 2002, after many musical collaborations, celebrated countertenor Philippe Jaroussky and several musical friends decided to form the Ensemble Artaserse. They gave their first highly acclaimed concert in the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris, with the Musiche a voce sola by the Italian composer Benedetto Ferrari. This music was immediately recorded and released by the French label Ambroisie, receiving several prestigious awards. After 15 years, Artaserse has established a reputation as one of the most exciting period instrument ensembles. With an ability to adapt to numerous repertoires including music by Antonio Vivaldi or George Frideric Handel, the ensemble has performed in the most prestigious venues, series, and Festivals in Europe, Asia, North and South America. This year for the first time, Ensemble Artaserse and Philippe Jaroussky were in the pit for a stage production: Handel’s Giulio Cesare at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées and Montpellier Opera. Artaserse has collaborated with such great singers as countertenor Andreas Scholl, contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and sopranos Cecilia Bartoli and Emőke Baráth. The ensemble’s discography includes Benedetto Ferrari’s Musiche a voce sola (Ambroisie-Naïve), two highly acclaimed albums for Virgin Classics: Vivaldi Virtuoso Cantatas and Beata Vergine featuring 17th-century Italian music devoted to the Virgin Mary, followed by Vivaldi’s Pietà and The Händel Album for Erato-Warner Classics.
The countertenor Philippe Jaroussky has established himself as one of the major singers in the international musical world. An impressive mastery of vocal technique allows performances full of nuance and vocal acrobatics. Jaroussky’s vast repertoire of the Baroque era ranges from the refinements of the Italian Seicento with Monteverdi, Sances, and Rossi to the staggering brilliance of Handel and Vivaldi. Lately, he has also explored very different repertoire of French mélodies accompanied by the pianist Jerôme Ducros. Increasingly captivated by contemporary works, Jaroussky performed a song cycle composed by Marc-André Dalbavie from the sonnets of Louise Labbé. He has had the pleasure of collaborating with some of the best Baroque ensembles and has performed to high acclaim in the most prestigious festivals and concert halls around the world. In 2002 he founded Ensemble Artaserse, which currently performs throughout Europe. March 2021 saw his début as conductor, with a production of Scarlatti’s oratorio, Primo Omicidio. Philippe Jaroussky has been an exclusive artist with Erato-Warner Classics for many years and has received many awards for his recordings.
ABOUT THE BOSTON EARLY MUSIC FESTIVALRecognized as the preeminent early music presenter and Baroque opera producer in North America, the Boston Early Music Festival has been credited with securing Boston’s reputation as “America’s early music capital” (The Boston Globe). Founded in 1981, BEMF offers diverse programs and activities, including one GRAMMY Award–winning and five GRAMMY Award–nominated opera recordings, an annual concert series that brings early music’s brightest stars to the Boston and New York concert stages, and a biennial weeklong Festival and Exhibition recognized as the “world’s leading festival of early music” (The Times, London). The 22nd Boston Early Music Festival, A Celebration of Women, will take place from June 4-11, 2023, and will feature the North American premiere of Henry Demarest’s Circé. BEMF’s Artistic Leadership includes Artistic Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs, Opera Director Gilbert Blin, Orchestra Director Robert Mealy, and Dance Director Melinda Sullivan.
The Boston Early Music Festival is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Constellation Charitable Foundation, and WCRB Classical Radio Boston, as well as a number of generous foundations and individuals from around the world.
