The Baroque era produced elaborate theatrical representations of life. Schmelzer’s musical depiction of a fencing school, Biber’s raucous portrayal of battle, and Telemann’s overture “La Bizarre” present over-the-top opportunities for virtuoso performers. Add in Tartini’s fiery Concerto for Violin performed by Tatiana Chulochnikova and Bach’s Concerto for Three Violins, and you’ll be blown away by these Baroque indulgences!
What could be better than a concert that features Part One of Bach's scintillating Christmas Oratorio and the Christmas portion of Handel's timeless Messiah, all within a perfect program for family and friends? The finely tuned voices of the American Bach Choir and the polished sheen of sonorities brought by American Bach's period-instrument orchestra soar within the majestic interior of San Francisco’s Nob Hill landmark.
Featuring a stellar cast of vocal soloists, American Bach’s celebrated holiday tradition of performing Handel’s Messiah in San Francisco’s historic Grace Cathedral perennially provides a treasured December holiday event to capacity audiences. American Bach's performances of Handel’s timeless work have become an essential part of the musical year for many music lovers and have attracted audiences of more than 50,000 from around the world. ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY - This concert will sell out, so reserve your seats now.
Back by popular demand, “A Baroque New Year’s Eve at the Opera” will usher in the new year within San Francisco’s beautiful Herbst Theatre. Start an early night on the town with a delightful program of arias, duets, and instrumental music from Baroque opera and concert, with plenty of time left for more celebrations in the evening or an early return home for a peaceful night. Bring your family and friends to celebrate a New Year full of wonderful music.
From Greek mythology and Ovid’s Metamorphoses comes the bittersweet love story of Galatea, a sea-nymph, and Acis, a shepherd from Sicily. They fell madly in love, but the one-eyed cyclops Polyphemus, upon seeing the couple lying beside the sea, wanted Galatea for his own, crushing Acis with a boulder. Heartbroken but determined to not let their love die, Galatea transformed the defeated Acis into an immortal river spirit. Handel composed his beautiful pastoral opera, Acis and Galatea, during his first years in London, and it became his most often performed work during his lifetime. Famous for its exquisite arias, Jeffrey Thomas and a quartet of superlative singers will bring this treasure to life.
Beatific visions of a heavenly alternative to life on earth found voice when Bach revealed his personal imagining of Paradise in one of his earliest cantatas, Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, scored for the exquisite sonority of violas da gamba and recorders. Another early cantata, composed for Easter, Christ lag in Todesbanden, further demonstrates Bach’s confidence in celestial immortality. And yet another, written for Palm Sunday, presents a ravishingly beautiful entrance into the heavenly city. This is a program of breathtakingly gorgeous music.
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