Press release

For immediate release

 

 

Bernard Labadie, conductor

Ian Bostridge, tenor (Evangelist)

Neal Davies, bass-baritone (Jesus)

Karina Gauvin, soprano

Damien Guillon, countertenor

Nicholas Phan, tenor

Hanno Müller-Brachmann, bass-baritone

with La Chapelle de Québec

 

Baroque avant tout Series

Salle Raoul-Jobin, Palais Montcalm

 

Grands rendez-vous montréalais Series

Maison symphonique de Montréal, Place des Arts

 

J.S. BACH St. John Passion, BWV245

 

Quebec City, January 9, 2012 – On March 20, 21, and 23, 2012, Bernard Labadie will assemble an outstanding cast around tenor Ian Bostridge and La Chapelle de Québec at Quebec City’s Palais Montcalm and Montreal’s Maison Symphonique to present the St. John Passion, one of J.S. Bach’s greatest masterworks. These performances culminate on Sunday, March 25, as conductor, orchestra, soloists, and La Chapelle de Québec return to the legendary stage of New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

 

The St. John Passion, composed in 1724, is one of the high points of Bach’s work and of the entire Baroque repertoire. Its leading role is that of the Evangelist, who narrates the passion of Christ in a series of highly diverse recitatives. Ian Bostridge, one of the most prominent tenors on the international scene today and a 2012 Grammy Award nominee, will sing this role, infusing it with the intensity, expression, and sincerity he is known for. He anchors a cast of five eminent soloists: Neal Davies (Jesus) and Hanno Müller-Brachmann (Pilate) together with Karina Gauvin, Damien Guillon, and Nicholas Phan, who sing arias elucidating and commenting on the action. Naturally, La Chapelle de Québec will be front and center in an intense series of choruses and chorales that are among the loveliest Bach composed.

 

The orchestra will be expanded for the occasion with flutes, oboes d’amour, and oboes da caccia, as well as a lute, viola d’amour, and viola da gamba, joining the standard strings to render the dramatic power and intimate, reflective character of this work.

 

Hydro-Québec is the 2011–2012 Quebec City presenting partner and is also presenting the Friday, March 23 concert at Maison symphonique de Montréal.

 

Palais Montcalm Box Office: 418-641-6040 or 1-877-641-6040

Place des Arts Ticket Office: 514-842-2112 or 1-866-842-2112

www.violonsduroy.com

 

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Press relations:

 

Communications Paulette Dufour

418-525-5455

pdufourcom@videotron.ca

 

Dionne Communications

514-844-5500 dlcom@cam.org

 

Lippé Communications

450-777-6107 jflippe@b2b2c.ca