University Musical Society Announces December 2013 Events

The University Musical Society (UMS) presents two incredible events this December, starting with the beloved community tradition of Handel's Messiah (Saturday-Sunday, December 7-8). December also ushers in the first-ever high definition delayed cinema broadcast from the Royal Shakespeare Company in the Michigan Theater; the company performs Richard II, starring David Tennant and directed by Gregory Doran (Sunday, December 8 and Wednesday, December 11).

Tickets to All Events On Sale Now

How to Order:

www.ums.org

734-764-2538

In person: Michigan League (911 North University Avenue)

At the performance venue: beginning 90 minutes before performance start time

Hours: Monday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 1 pm, closed Sunday

HOLIDAY HOURS: The UMS Ticket Office will close for the holidays on Friday, December 20 at 5 pm and

reopens on Thursday, January 2 at 9 am. Tickets will be available online during this time.

Performances & Events

HANDEL'S MESSIAH

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra

UMS Choral Union Jerry Blackstone, conductor

Brenda Rae, soprano
David Trudgen, countertenor Benjamin, Butterfield, tenor Timothy Mix, baritone
Edward Parmentier, harpsichord Scott VanOrnum, organ

Saturday, December 7, 8 pm
Sunday, December 8, 2 pm
Hill Auditorium (825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor)

Tickets start at $10

Supported by: Carl and Isabelle Brauer Fund
Media Partners: Ann Arbor's 107one FM and Michigan Radio 91.7 FM

The holiday season in Ann Arbor is never officially underway until Handel's Messiah is performed at Hill Auditorium. An Ann Arbor tradition, these performances are ultimately the heart and soul of UMS, connecting audiences not only with the talented people on stage but also with friends and family who attend each year. In a true community tradition, the performance features the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, the 175 voices of the Grammy Award-winning UMS Choral Union (2006 Best Choral Performance), and conductor Jerry Blackstone.

UMS Choral Union:

Formed by a group of local university and townspeople who gathered together for the study of Handel's Messiah, the 175-voice UMS Choral Union is known for its definitive performances of large-scale works for chorus and orchestra. In collaboration with the UM School of Music, Theater, and Dance ensembles in 2004, they released a three-disc set of William Bolcom's Songs of Innocence and of Experience, which won four Grammy Awards in 2006.

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra:

Founded as a community orchestra in 1928, then as a fully professional orchestra in 1986, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 85th year of excellence in 2013. The orchestra currently performs in the historic Michigan Theater under the direction of conductor Arie Lipsky.

Jerry Blackstone, conductor

Two-time Grammy Award winning conductor Jerry Blackstone serves as Director of Choirs and Chair of the Conducting Department at the U-M School of Music, Theater, and Dance. Devoted to education, his students have received first place awards in both the graduate and undergraduate divisions of the ACDA biennial National Choral Conducting Awards competition.

Brenda Rae, soprano

American soprano Brenda Rae's diverse repertoire across Europe and the Americas extends to performances at Carnegie Hall, the Santa Fe Opera, and her alma mater as a winner of the Juilliard Vocal Arts Honor Recital. Receiving first prize honors from the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, the Bel Canto Foundation, and Wisconsin NATS, Rae is also the recipient of grants from the Shoshana Foundation, the Giulio Gari Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation.

David Trudgen, countertenor

The tall, commanding figure of Canadian countertenor David Trudgen lit the stage of countless theaters following his receipt of the Earl V. Moore Award for outstanding achievement at the University of Michigan (MM '06). He has sung at Michigan Opera Theatre (title role in Giulio Cesare), the Chicago Opera Theatre, and the Kennedy Center as a participant in the Kennedy Center Conservatory Project, and he recently made his Opera Theatre of St. Louis debut in 2010 with the world premiere of The Golden Ticket. Winner of the Michigan District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, David has previously performed for David Daniels, Martina Arroyo, Colin Graham, Shirley Verrett, and Alan Curtis.

Benjamin Butterfield, tenor

Vibrant tenor Benjamin Butterfield's extensive concert and opera repertoire graces international audiences from Carnegie Hall to the Palace of Versailles. A prolific recording artist, Butterfield imparts his knowledge to young musicians at the University of Victoria in British Colombia, as well as several summer vocal programs.

Timothy Mix, baritone

Recipient of awards from the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Bradenton Opera Guild, and the Metropolitan Opera National Council, American baritone Timothy Mix is known for his rich, full voice. He is also the recipient of the 2008 Christopher Keene Award from New York City Opera and an award winner at the Mijam Helen International Singing Competition.

Edward Parmentier, harpsichord

University of Michigan Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Harpsichord Edward Parmentier is a frequent recitalist, lecturer, and adjudicator at symposia and festivals, as well as director of the Early Music Ensemble. He conducts modern instrument chamber orchestras in performance of baroque and classical repertory, and his annual summer harpsichord workshops attract performers from all over the world.

Scott VanOrnum, organ

Scott VanOrnum serves as principal keyboardist for the University of Michigan's Choral Department, the interim director of music at Knox Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, and music and humanities instructor at Schoolcraft College. His performance history extends from regional symphony orchestras, wind ensembles, and choral societies to the Kennedy Center.

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

RICHARD II

by William Shakespeare Directed by Gregory Doran

Starring David Tennant

Sunday, December 8, 7 pm
Wednesday, December 11, 7 pm
Michigan Theater (603 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor)

Tickets: $22/adults
$18 Michigan Theater Members/UMS subscribers & donors

A partnership between UMS and the Michigan Theater.

The first of Shakespeare's four plays about the House of Lancaster, King Richard's human weakness and vanity threatens to divide the great houses of England and drag its people into a dynastic civil war. Directed by Gregory Doran and starring David Tennant (Doctor Who, Broadchurch), the wonders of Shakespeare will brighten the screens of the Michigan Theater in a delayed cinema broadcast of the Royal Shakespeare Company's live performance of Richard II, the fastest selling show in the RSC's history. This phenomenal performance investigates the classic play with fresh, inventive techniques, consistently innovating the beauty and metaphor they bring to life onstage, "blazing with lights and sound and music... an immersive theatrical experience." (Express)

FAMILIES, TAKE NOTE: UMS Kids Club allows students in grades 3-12 to attend any UMS event with their parents at significantly reduced ticket prices. UMS will set aside a limited quantity of Kids Club tickets for every event in the season. Tickets are $10 per student and $20 per adult.

Kids Club tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis for every event in the season. Seating is subject to box office discretion. UMS guarantees at least 30 tickets for each event (select performances for multiple performance runs). Kids Club tickets must be picked up at will-call with the student present. Unless the Kids Club allotment is sold out, Kids Club tickets will be offered at the door; however, we recommend ordering in advance.

Comprehensive December 2013 Calendar of Events

Saturday, December 7, 8 pm: UMS Performance: Handel's Messiah Hill Auditorium, $

Sunday, December 8, 2 pm: UMS Performance: Handel's Messiah Hill Auditorium, $

Sunday, December 8, 7 pm: UMS Performance: Richard II Michigan Theater, $

Wednesday, December 11, 7 pm: UMS Performance: Richard II Michigan Theater, $

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