Boston Early Music Festival presents the legendary viol virtuoso Jordi Savall and his ensemble Le Concert des Nations performing music from Baroque Versailles—February 25 in Harvard Square and premiering online on March 11
| ARTIST: | Jordi Savall & Le Concert des NationsManfredo Kraemer, violinCharles Zebley, flutePhilippe Pierlot, 7-string bass violRolf Lislevand, theorboMarco Vitale, harpsichordJordi Savall, 7-string bass viol & Direction |
| WHEN: | Friday, February 25, 2022St. Paul Church, Bow & Arrow Streets, Cambridge, MAVirtual Premiere: Friday, March 11, 2022 at 8pm ETAvailable until Friday, March 25, 2022 at 11:59pm ET |
| PROGRAM: | Le Fêtes Royales in Baroque VersaillesPhilidor L’Aisné: Recueil de plusieurs airsMarin Marais: Pièce de Viole du 3e livre et du 4e livreFrançois Couperin: Troisième Concert RoyalJean-Philippe Rameau: Pièce de clavecin en ConcertJean-Marie Leclair: Sonate VIII à Trois in D Major, Op. 2, No. 8 |
| TICKETS: | Remaining tickets are priced at $30 for the in-person performance, and $15 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, as well as for subscribers purchasing tickets to three or more events of the 2021-2022 season. |
ABOUT THE PROGRAMFor more than a half century, Jordi Savall has built a legacy as one of the most engaging musical personalities of his generation, in performances that marry meticulous research with virtuosic musicianship. A favorite of BEMF audiences since our very first Concert Season, he returns to BEMF with his renowned ensemble Le Concert des Nations performing music by Rameau, Marais, Philidor, and Rebel written for the grand royal concerts of Louis XIII, Louis XIV, and Louis XV of France.
COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLSAs we return to in-person performances with our 2021–2022 Season, the health and safety of our audience, employees, and artists is our highest priority. BEMF is joining many of our colleagues around Boston in 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. We will be reducing capacity significantly to ensure socially distanced seating at all venues and will not be offering ticket sales or ticket pick-up at the concert venue. For our patrons who cannot—or chose not to—attend a performance after a ticket purchase has been made, we are offering free ticket exchanges and refunds for all in-person performances up to 2 hours before concert start time, as well as Virtual Ticket options for all events.
As the global pandemic is still a developing situation, we anticipate these protocols will evolve in the months ahead. Visit BEMF.org/safety to review our current safety policies.
ASSOCIATED EVENTSA pre-concert video featuring Jordi Savall will be released on Monday, February 21, 2022.
ABOUT THE ARTISTSFor more than 50 years, Jordi Savall, one of the most versatile musical personalities of his generation, has rescued musical gems from the obscurity of neglect and oblivion and given them back for all to enjoy. Together with Montserrat Figueras, he founded the ensembles Hespèrion XXI (1974), La Capella Reial de Catalunya (1987), and Le Concert des Nations (1989), with whom he explores and creates a world of emotion and beauty shared with millions of early music enthusiasts around the world. Through his busy concert schedule, his recordings, and his own record label, Alia Vox, Jordi Savall has proved that Early Music can appeal to increasingly diverse and numerous audiences of all ages. Savall has recorded and released more than 230 albums covering the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical music repertories, with a special focus on the Hispanic and Mediterranean musical heritage, receiving many awards and distinctions. His programs highlight understanding and peace between different and sometimes warring peoples and cultures. Accordingly, guest artists appearing with his ensembles include Arab, Israeli, Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Afghan, Mexican, and North American musicians. In 2008, Jordi Savall was appointed European Union Ambassador for intercultural dialogue and, together with Montserrat Figueras, was named “Artist for Peace” under the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors program.
Le Concert des Nations orchestra was founded by Jordi Savall and Montserrat Figueras in 1989. Directed from the outset by Jordi Savall, Le Concert des Nations was the first orchestra made up from a majority of musicians from Latin countries (Spain, Latin America, France, Italy, Portugal, etc.), all of them being distinguished world specialists in the performance of ancient music on original period instruments and using historical criteria. Right from the beginning Le Concert des Nations aimed to raise awareness about historical repertoire of great quality through performances that rigorously respected the original spirit of each work but are performed with a revitalizing impulse. In 1992 Le Concert des Nations made its operatic debut with Una Cosa Rara by Martín i Soler. In 1995 another opera by Martín i Soler was performed in Montpellier, Il Burbero di Buon Cuore and in 2000, Celos aun del Ayre matan by Juan Hidalgo and Calderón de la Barca was performed in concert in Barcelona and Vienna. Other notable opera productions are Vivaldi’s Farnace, premièred at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid (2001), and Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, which was finally recorded on DVD by the BBC/Opus Arte (2002), as was The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross by F. J. Haydn in a co-production between Element Productions and Alia Vox (2007).
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.
For more information, please contact Kathleen Fay at kathy@bemf.org.
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