Musica Sacra Presents ISRAEL IN EGYPT 2/23

On Wednesday February 23, 2011 at 8 p.m. in Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium, Musica Sacra-heralded by the New York Daily News as "easily the best chorus in this city, if not in the country"- performs Handel's extraordinary biblical oratorio, Israel in Egypt. The first part of Israel in Egypt tells the story of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt using vivid word painting in both the chorus and orchestra to depict the plagues of frogs, hail, flies and locusts. The second part, which Handel composed first, is a setting of 'Moses' Song' from chapter 15 of the Book of Exodus. Handel's original version of Israel in Egypt included an opening part, at the time recycling his Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline. This first section was eventually cut from the oratorio, leaving the need for an opening instrumental introduction. For this concert, the orchestra will perform the opening two movements of the Overture to Handel's Solomon.

Leading the performance is the ensemble's music director Kent Tritle, hailed by Allan Kozinn of the New York Times as "New York's reining choral conductor" and "the brightest star in New York's choral music world."

Following the ensemble's December 2010 performances of Handel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall, Vivien Schweitzer praised the "radiant singing of the chorus, which sang with immaculate flair...The orchestra performed beautifully throughout the evening, with transparent textures, a buoyant pulse and expressive phrasing."

For this performance Musica Sacra is joined by six soloists:

Soprano Leslie Fagan has performed under the batons of such noted conductors as Hans Graf, Sir David Willcocks, Jukke Pekke Saraste, Kent Tritle and Daniel Lipton, and has delighted audiences and critics alike at Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Bordeaux Opera House, Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall. During the 2007-2008 season Ms. Fagan debuted both at Carnegie Hall performing Handel's Messiah with Musica Sacra under the baton of Richard Westenburg, and at Lincoln Center singing Carmina Burana and the world premiere of Alessandro Cadario's Cantata for Revival, also with Musica Sacra.

Soprano Jamet Pittman won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for the Washington area (Northeast Region) at age 23 and studied at the Manhattan School of Music. In 1998, she made her Carnegie Hall debut in Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. She has sung with the New York Choral Artists at Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic, led by Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, and Riccardo Muti. Ms. Pittman sang the title role in the Porgy and Bess Suite at the Gershwin Centennial Birthday Celebration and participated in the first American broadcast of Porgy and Bess with New York City Opera in a "Live from Lincoln Center" telecast.

Since her Carnegie Hall debut in Mozart's Requiem under John Rutter, mezzo soprano Charlotte Daw Paulsen has been recognized as a stellar singer on both opera and concert stages. She has performed with the Houston, Virginia, Eugene, Huntsville and Greater Bridgeport Symphonies, the National and Louisiana Philharmonics, and at Avery Fisher Hall and the Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. A frequent performer of new works, Ms. Paulsen sang the New York premiere of Frank Martin's Et la vie l'emporte; Andrea Clearfield's Women of Valor, and The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace by Carl Jenkins at Carnegie Hall.

Making his Carnegie Hall debut with this performance, tenor Oliver Mercer is quickly gaining recognition as one of New York's most exciting young voices in early music. During the 2009/2010 season he made his Alice Tully Hall debut with Musica Sacra and Kent Tritle, and also performed with Le Voix Baroque, 5 Boroughs Music Festival, and the Taghkanic Chorale. He was a featured soloist with Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, Clarion Music Society, and at Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue. Mr. Mercer has performed at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Oregon Bach Festival, under such conductors as William Christie and Helmut Rilling.

British-Columbia-born baritone Tyler Duncan performed in spring 2010 at the Spoleto Festival USA and has been featured with the Quebec, Winnipeg, and Toronto Symphonies; Calgary Philharmonic, the Princeton Festival and Early Music Vancouver. He sang the title role of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro on a Swiss tour with the Munich Chamber Orchestra and has given acclaimed recitals in New York, Boston, Paris, and throughout Canada, Germany, Sweden, France and South Africa. He was also winner of the 2010 Joy in Singing competition, the 2008 New York Oratorio Society Competition, 2007 Prix International Pro Musicis Award and the Bernard Diamant Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Following his December 2010 performance of Handel's Messiah with Musica Sacra at Carnegie Hall, the New York Times praised Mr. Duncan's "powerful voice, dramatic conviction, and passionate singing."

Kevin Deas, bass, is widely acclaimed for his signature portrayal of the title role in Porgy and Bess, having sung it with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; the National, San Francisco, Atlanta, San Diego, Utah, Houston, Baltimore and Montreal symphonies, and the Ravinia and Saratoga festivals. In 2010/11 Mr. Deas appears with the Calgary Philharmonic, Boston Baroque, the Richmond and Pacific symphonies, and the National Symphony of Costa Rica on occasion of its 70th anniversary. He has been featured with the Rochester and Buffalo philharmonics; the Hartford, Grand Rapids and Vermont symphonies; the Minnesota Orchestra, and Musica Sacra.

Ticket prices range from $12.50-$120, and are available through Carnegie Hall online (www.carnegiehall.org), by phone (CarnegieCharge, (212)247-7800); or in person (Box Office, 57th Street & 7th Avenue).

ABOUT MUSICA SACRA

Founded in 1964 by conductor Richard Westenburg, Musica Sacra is dedicated to presenting the highest caliber performances of great choral masterworks, as well as educating audiences in the different eras and styles of classical music to deepen the appreciation of the choral arts. In addition to its acknowledged affinity for Baroque music, Musica Sacra performs in all genres, from the earliest of Gregorian chant to commissioned works and premieres by leading contemporary composers such as Benjamin Britten, Dave Brubeck, Alessandro Cadario, Robert Convery, David Diamond, Aram Khatchaturian, and Ned Rorem.

Upcoming performances in the 2010/11 season include:

Friday May 13, 2011, 8pm at Alice Tully Hall: Messages to Myself, featuring the World Premieres of works by Daniel Brewbaker and Michael Gilbertson, and the New York Premieres of works by Christopher Theofanidis, Zachary Patten, and Behzad Ranjbaran.

Highlights of previous seasons include performances of Mozart's Mass in C Minor, Bach's St. John Passion, Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel and Arvo Pärt's Stabat Mater for WNYC's 'New Sounds Live' at the World Financial Center; and Edgard Varèse's Etude pour Espace with the International Contemporary Ensemble and So Percussion at the 2010 Lincoln Center Festival.

Musica Sacra has recorded on the RCA, BMG, and Deutsche Grammophon labels, including the first all-digital recording of Messiah released in 1982 by RCA/BMG and reissued on "High Performance," BMG's audiophile label.

CONCERT LISTING:

Wednesday February 23, 2011 at 8:00 pm

Carnegie Hall (57th Street at 7th Avenue)

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL: ISRAEL IN EGYPT

Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra
Kent Tritle, Music Director and Conductor
Leslie Fagan and Jamet Pittman, Sopranos
Charlotte Daw Paulsen, Mezzo-Soprano
Oliver Mercer, Tenor
Tyler Duncan, Baritone
Kevin Deas, Bass

Tickets: $12.50-$120

To order, visit Carnegie Hall online (www.carnegiehall.org), by phone (CarnegieCharge, (212)247-7800); or in person (Box Office, 57th Street & 7th Avenue).

For additional information, visit www.MusicaSacraNY.com or call 212-330-7684.