The opening concert of the most important festival dedicated to Bach in North America will be presented at the Maison symphonique by the prestigious Gaechinger Cantorey of the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart. An event not to be missed!
Each fall, the Montréal Bach Festival brings together hundreds of musicians, maestros, singers and performers from Québec and around the world for several weeks to pay tribute to the great composer – and delight a crowd of music lovers. And the 16th edition of this great music festival gets off to a brilliant start on November 17 with Bach’s masterpiece.
The Passion according to Saint John, a veritable musical monument testifying to the genius of Johann Sebastian Bach is, let us remember, a deeply spiritual oratorio which recounts the sufferings of Christ from his arrest to his crucifixion and then his death, and which leaves no one indifferent, both in the room than on stage. Premiered in Leipzig when Bach was cantor, or choirmaster, of St. Thomas Church, and performed there for the first time on Good Friday, April 7, 1724, the work brilliantly alternates recitative passages, singing chorale, ariosos and arias.
The concert by Gaechinger Cantorey from the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart, whose reputation is second to none, is eagerly awaited and bears witness to the international scope of the Festival. Bringing together a Baroque orchestra and a choir, this large ensemble of early music stands out for its interpretation in the “Bach Stuttgart” style, faithful to the historical context of the work. Under the baton of the brilliant Hans-Christoph Rademann, artistic director of the Academy since 2013, the concert will bring together more than 50 virtuosos recognized for their accuracy, their intensity and their emotional rendering. These include soprano Magdalene Harer, alto Marie Henriette Reinhold, tenor Benedikt Kristjánsson and basses Peter Harvey and Tobias Berndt. With this set, we can expect a very great musical moment, not to be missed under any circumstances.
Three busy weeks
The 2022 edition of the Montreal Bach Festival, founded in 2005 by Alexandra Scheibler, will take place from November 12 to December 9. In all, some thirty events, some of which are free, will be presented in several churches such as Saint-Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, in various halls such as the Maison symphonique and the Bourgie Hall of the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as in new places.
Outraged The Passion according to Saint Johnmusic lovers will be able to attend thrilling performances such as Bach – a routewith Luc Beauséjour on the harpsichord, The Art of Running Awayplayed by the virtuoso pianist Filippo Gorini, Bach, Mozart and Lisztinterpreted by the young pianist Eva Gevorgyan, On the way to Bachpresented by the Ensemble Masques et Sonatas and partitas, with violinist Christian Tetzlaff. The Montreal Bach Festival Orchestra and Choir will perform three key pieces, the Magnificatthe Suite for Orchestra No. 1and the Cantata 63 under the direction of maestro Masaaki Suzuki, in Montreal and Quebec. Finally, Les Violons du Roy will give a concert under the direction of Nicolas Ellis, the Goldberg Variations arranged for strings by Bernard Labadie, and a concert conducted by Bernard Labadie, the Cantatas of Bach.
Music for all
The organizers of the Festival are committed to making Bach’s music accessible to the general public. Free performances include the Night of the Choirswhere you can hear the performances of several Montreal amateur choirs, as well as organ concerts Tribute to Kenneth Gilbert and Bach and Pachelbel: an imaginary encounter. Alongside the official programming, the Off-Festival Bach offers musical events in a contemporary space in the Quartier des Spectacles, at the corner of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street. On the program: express concerts, public rehearsals, discussions and impromptu performances by artists from here and elsewhere participating in the Festival. True to tradition, the Montreal Bach Festival also pays particular attention to budding music lovers. Under the direction of young conductor Francis Choinière, renowned for his dynamism and great versatility, the Bach Incognito concert will introduce or rediscover Bach to music lovers aged 8 to 88.
To find out more about the 2022 program: festivalbachmontreal.com
The primary mission of the Montreal Bach Festival is to promote world-renowned soloists, ensembles and orchestras who excel in the Bach repertoire. In addition to established artists, the festival also promotes and supports emerging Canadian talent and reaches out to the local community with educational activities, multicultural experiences, and accessible and affordable events, like its completely free OFF-Festival. www.festivalbachmontreal.com
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To find out more about Montreal Bach Festival