The Boston Camerata’s offering for International Early Music Day
How music and poetry, across the centuries, expresses feelings of separation and reunion.
Words and music from Artistic Director Anne Azéma.
Available for streaming at any time before midnight EST on Sunday, March 21
There is no limit on the number of times you can watch the program during its specified period. If you have registered already, you will receive an email containing the link to the video when it is ready to view.
Tonight, January 28th, our own Anne Azéma will participate in a conversation with Marc-Olivier Bherer of Le Monde as part of the Institut Français’ global 24-hour livestream event #NightOfIdeas.
Visit nightofideas.org for more information.
Since we cannot gather in concert halls this holiday season, the Boston Camerata will come to you with a newly-produced streaming version of An American Christmas. Filmed at Boston’s historic Old North Church, the performance features inspiring early American music, in a program reimagined specifically for this unique and challenging year. Artistic Director Anne Azéma comments: “This glorious music from a young and hopeful nation will give us all the kind of boost we wish for at the present moment.”
Available online December 27th through January 15th!
As we understand the story, the Wise Men arrived at the cradle, a few days after the birth of Jesus.
Alas, like them, we are also a little delayed.
The music is done, the visuals are splendid. You have never seen Old North look so beautiful. Unfortunately for our own journey certain essential files were delayed as we were hoping to arrive by Christmas day, were en route to the crêche.
We are disappointed, for us and for you.
Our full length video will now be available on the third day of Christmas, December 27, at 4pm, rather than the first day, as we had planned.
How can we make it good for you? Well, our Director Emeritus Joel Cohen is here for you today with an informal talk on how Americans of earlier generations made music for the holiday. And you will also find below a sneak preview excerpt: a performance of the magnificent Southern carol Star in the East. For the rest, in the spirit of peace and goodwill, we humbly request a couple of days of forbearance on your part.
The complete video, once online, will be available to ticket holders for unlimited viewing and hearing through January 10.
With our deepest apologies, and our continued wishes for a happy and blessed Christmas week,
Anne Azéma
Artistic Director
Since we cannot gather in concert halls this holiday season, the Boston Camerata will come to you with a newly-produced streaming version of An American Christmas. Filmed at Boston’s historic Old North Church, the performance features inspiring early American music, in a program reimagined specifically for this unique and challenging year. Artistic Director Anne Azéma comments: “This glorious music from a young and hopeful nation will give us all the kind of boost we wish for at the present moment.”
The Fine Print (please read!) An American Christmas will be available for streaming at any time from December 27 until January 15. There is no limit on the number of times you can watch the show during this period. Ticket buyers will receive an email with a link, prior to show time on December 27. As our communications sometimes go into spam and junk folders (or your Promotions folder, if you use that feature in Gmail), please make sure to check those places if you can’t find our email. We encourage you to purchase tickets to give to friends this holiday season. Please contact the Camerata office for more information about ticket-gifting.
Music by Henry Purcell (1659-1695) – Libretto by Nahum Tate (1652-1715)
This new production of Purcell’s only true opera features performances by live and remote musicians and media elements conceived by Peter Torpey, all stitched together to be viewed from the safety and comfort of your home. Artistic Director Anne Azéma leads a stellar cast, with Tahanee Aluwihare as Dido, Luke Scott as Aeneas, Camila Parias as Dido’s sister Belinda, and Jordan Weatherston Pitts as the Sorcerer, assisted by students from Longy School of Music of Bard College and the Harvard Choral Fellows directed by Edward Elwyn Jones.
The show will be available for streaming, on-demand, from November 14-29, 2020 – ticketbuyers will be emailed links to the show, as well as a pre-concert presentation on Dido and Aeneas by Ellen T. Harris (Professor Emeritus of Music, MIT) and a post-performance conversation between Anne Azéma and Peter Torpey.
Our trailer was created by Peter Torpey featuring music from the 1979 Boston Camerata recording of Dido and Aeneas.
The CCC (Camerata Corruption Corps) is on the go.
For our musical offering this week, we propose an excerpt from the 14th-century fable Le Roman de Fauvel, which spins out a biting, satirical allegory of malfeasance at the French court through the tale of the malevolent orange animal Fauvel and his efforts to take over France. Rex beatus, sung here by Michael Barrett and Timothy Evans, with Stephen Lundahl on sackbut, gives some advice to the ruling class: Do better! As indeed they should.
Joel Cohen is the narrator. Translation:
Motetus (Tim): Saint Louis now reigns in heaven, with the company of saints. You who bear his name, blood of his blood, follow his path, in a sacred bond.
Triplum (Michael): If a joyous, young, handsome and kind heart loves, it is just. For a noble, tender, and youthful heart should obtain the object of its desire, while others less noble should not know the pleasure of love.
