Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists Perform Canadian Debut in Ottawa

On Saturday, October 28th, the award-winning Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists will present the Canadian premiere of their performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, presented by Soli Deo Gloria, Deutsche Grammophon, and the Theatre of Early Music.

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B minor, completed in 1789, a year before his passing, is widely considered one of the composer’s most important works and a cornerstone in modern Western Music’s development.

The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists specialize in historically inspired or themed performances across many eras. Founded initially to honour the beauty of Italian music, the group has expanded into several different periods.

Far from performing the works of only one composer, as other groups often do, the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists’s music ranges from sacred to semi-staged operas. In their last season, they performed several successful tours, including partnerships with the Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, and Orchestre Philharmonique Luxembourg.

The expansive list of composers they cover includes Symphonies by Mozart and Haydn at venues in Europe and the US while reciting the music of Bach, Schütz, Schein, and the Beethoven Masterpiece Missa Solemnis on special occasions, including the Berliner Festspiele and Wratisavia Cantans.

The Britain-based choir is associated with some of the greatest classical singers on the planet, including Canada’s own Baritone Gerald Finley, Tenor Michael Shade, Sopranos Nancy Argenta and Donna Brown, Mezzo Catherine Robin and Countertenor Daniel Taylor. The Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras (MCO) records on its own independent label, Soli Deo Gloria, with several acclaimed releases, including J.S. Bach’s complete set of Cantatas. MCO is committed to the continuation of classical music and the nurturing of classical musicians for future generations to enjoy.

The October 28th Canadian show in Ottawa comes after their performance at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla. Portuguese conductor Dinis Sousa will lead the Ottawa performance after a concert days earlier at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Sousa has attracted widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian described his conducting during their 2023 European tour as “electrifying in moments of grandeur, high drama, and emotional intensity.”

The show will demonstrate the beauty of classical music through the opening collective cry of Kyrie, a number so poetic and beautiful you likely know it even if you cannot recall where you have heard it before. Also taking part in performing Bach’s Mass in B Minor is the incredible Dona Nobis Pacem. The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists will reveal a work that encompasses wild expertise, immeasurable pathos through their operatic range, and exuberant joy.

Leading the movement to have the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists come to Ottawa was Daniel Taylor, one of Canada’s most popular voice teachers, a leading figure in the classical vocalist community, and a beloved singer. Taylor tours the world in recital and opera and is also known as the most sought-after guide for the very best performers taking the stage today.

The Ottawa vocal community has gotten behind bringing this incredible group to the Nation’s Capital with famous Canadian classical artists such as Lisette Canton of the Ottawa Bach Choir, an internationally acclaimed Bach group that was the first Canadian group to play the Leipzig Bach Festival. Other major choral organizations such as the Ottawa Choral Society and Seventeen Voyces have lent their support. Children and young adults under the age of 18 are offered free admission if they reserve their tickets in advance through the office of Music and Beyond.

The Ottawa choral community hopes that the attendees of this performance will rally around the sheer talent and beauty. Joining the performance will be a group of outstanding soloists, including Alex Ashworth, Hilary Cronin, Sarah Denbee, Jonathan Hanley, Bethany Horak-Hallett, Frederick Long, Reginald Mobley and Nick Pritchard.

As part of Ottawa’s Music and Beyond Festival, the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists will make their only Canadian stop at the Paroisse Saint François d’Assise on Saturday, October 28th.

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to experience this extraordinarily talented group that made history by performing at the first Royal Coronation in 70 years.

Children and young adults under the age of 18 are offered free admission if they reserve their tickets in advance through the office of Music and Beyond. The Ottawa Marriott has offered sponsorship for this special event.

Click here to purchase tickets.

What: Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists
Where: Paroisse Saint Francois d’Assise, 20 Fairmont Avenue
When: Saturday, October 28, 2023
What time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.