The English Concert Unveils Autumn Concert Programme:
Baroque Masterpieces and Stellar Collaborations
Highlights include:
Countertenor Iestyn Davies leads an all-Handel programme featuring arias and secular cantatas at York Mansion House
The English Concert performs at Handel Hendrix House with a series of concerts celebrating Handel’s influence on London’s musical life
Kristian Bezuidenhout directs Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.4 and three cantatas with a stellar cast of soloists
Harry Bicket directs Handel’s Messiah in Southampton, Udine, and San Sebastian
The English Concert celebrates the festive season with baroque Christmas works by Charpentier, Purcell, Stradella, and Bach
The English Concert presents its concert programme for Autumn 2024, celebrating the legacy of baroque composers Bach and Handel, led by the musicians who continue to champion their works. The orchestra will be led by Kristian Bezuidenhout and Harry Bicket, in addition to collaborating with stellar soloists including Iestyn Davies, Lucy Crowe, Katie Bray, Alexander Chance, James Way and Matthew Brooke.
Harry Bicket, Artistic Director of The English Concert, says:
“Our Autumn concert programme is a vibrant celebration of the timeless brilliance of Bach and Handel, brought to life by our dedicated musicians and distinguished collaborators. With the exceptional talents of Iestyn Davies, Kristian Bezuidenhout, and our brilliant soloists, we’re poised to explore these masterpieces with fresh perspectives. We look forward to sharing this vibrant season with our audiences, bringing these timeless pieces to life once more.”
York Mansion House – Iestyn Davies: 28 September
Countertenor and long-term collaborator of The English Concert, Iestyn Davies, presents an intimate all-Handel programme at York Mansion House. The programme features a range of Handel’s arias from Serse, Agrippina and Rinaldo, in addition to a selection of the composer’s secular continuo cantatas: Fra pensieri quell pensiero, Dolc’è pu d’amor l’affanno, Lungi da me pensier tiranno! and Nel dolce tempo.
Handel Hendrix House Residency: 7 – 12 October
The English Concert commences its residency with Handel Hendrix House, with three concerts marking the importance of Handel’s influence on London’s musical life. The opening concert, Monday Matinnee (7 October, 1pm) will see the inaugural performance from Fellows of The English Concert. Fellows for the 24/25 season include soprano Emy Gazeilles performing arias from Handel’s Giulio Cesare as arranged by the composer for performance at home.
St Martin-in-the-Fields – Kristian Bezuidenhout: 17 October
The English Concert celebrates Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.4 led by Principal Guest Director and harpsichordist Kristian Bezuidenhout with solo violin Nadja Zwiener and recorder players Tabea Debus and Katrin Lazar. This performance will also see the ensemble joined by soprano Lauren Lodge-Campbell, countertenor Alexander Chance, tenor Hugo Hymas and bass Matthew Brook for an exploration of three cantatas full of spiritual drama and energy: ‘Widerstehe doch der Sünde’, ‘Komm, du Süße Todesstunde’ and ‘Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich’.
Messiah Tour: 12, 15 & 18 December
Director Harry Bicket leads Handel’s legendary seasonal oratorio Messiah, with soloists Chiara Skerath, Katie Bray (12 December) and Jess Dandy (15 & 18 December), James Way, Neal Davies and the choir of The English Concert. The tour will see performances at Turner Simms in Southampton (12 December), Udine’s Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine (15 December) and San Sebastian’s Auditorio Kursaal (18 December).
Wigmore Hall – Harry Bicket: 21 December
Following on from a European tour of Messiah, The English Concert continues to ring in the festive season with a special performance at Wigmore Hall. A selection of Christmas works will see Harry Bicket direct Lucy Crowe, Katie Bray, Jess Dandy, James Way and Morgan Pearse in performances of Charpentier’s In Nativitatem Domini Nostri, Purcell’s Behold, I bring you glad tidings and Stradella’s Si apra al riso ogni labro, before concluding the concert with Bach’s Magnificat 243, featuring the additional Christmas interpolations.
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