Pacific MusicWorks Sets 2016-17 Season

Pacific MusicWorks (PMW) announces the 2016-2017 Season which includes a new venue, Benaroya Hall, and four unique classical concert productions. Breathtaking, ¡Navidad!, Handel's Tenor and Dido & Aeneas all pull from the 17th thru to the late 19th century music traditions and incorporate a variety of instrumental, operatic and vocal elements. The first concert of the season, Breathtaking will be held at the St. James Cathedral in downtown Seattle. The remainder of the season is at Benaroya Hall with select performances at Meany Hall, Edmonds United Methodist Church and Mercer Island's Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Four concert subscription packages are available online now. Single tickets go on sale September 7, 2016 at www.PacificMusicWorks.org or by phone at (206) 708-6003. Youth ages 5-17 always receive a free ticket with accompanying ticketed adult. Interviews with the artistic director, Stephen Stubbs are available by request.

Breathtaking - A Voice and Cornetto Entwined

Sat. Nov. 5, 8pm St. James Cathedral, 804 9th Avenue, Seattle WA

Bruce Dickey has been responsible, more than anyone else, for reviving the cornetto and raising it to the level of a virtuoso solo instrument. Rising star, Czech soprano Hana Blažíková, modeled her own baroque singing style on the sounds and sensuous qualities of Bruce's playing. Once they began collaborating they realized they were uniquely poised to explore the affinities of the instrument with the voice. The result is "Breathtaking" and PMW is thrilled to present its debut US tour.

¡Navidad! - Christmas Music from New and Old Spain

Fri. Dec. 9, 7:30 pm Edmonds Methodist Church

Sat. Dec. 10 7:30 pm Mercer Island's Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Sun. Dec. 11 2pm Benaroya Hall, Seattle WA

Colonial Latin America's unique melting pot of Italian, Spanish, African, Portuguese, and native traditions led to the creation of the Christmas Villancico. This vivacious, rhythmic, and rustic form retells the Christmas story through the characteristic sounds of guitar, harp, harpsichord and strings with a quartet of voices. Experience a rich tapestry of works from Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, and Spain in this unique holiday program. The program includes the US premieres of works by Guatemalan composer Rafael Castellanos (ca. 1721-1791) and Spanish composer Fabián Garcia Pacheco (1725-1808).

Handel's Tenor - Beard's Beauties

Sat. Feb. 25, 7:30 pm Mercer Island's Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Sun. Feb 26, 2pm Benaroya Hall, SeattleWA

From the moment the young English tenor James Beard first performed with Handel in 1734, the composer began fashioning roles for him. This led to a new idea - the tenor as Oratorio's leading man. Until this moment, sopranos and castrati dominated the operatic stage. As Handel invented and shaped the English Oratorio, and took advantage of John Beard's special talents, he was able to compose pieces that, to this day, define the elements of this genre. With GRAMMY award-winning tenor, Aaron Sheehan PMW creates a portrait of this historical character with some of Handel's most glorious music

Dido & Aeneas - Henry Purcell

Sat. April 29, 7:30 pm Benaroya Hall, SeattleWA

Sun. April 30, 2pm Meany Hall, Univ of WA Campus, Seattle WA

In the late 17th century Henry Purcell had a musical life of Mozartian proportions - tragically short yet unbelievably brilliant. Synthesizing all the best elements of contemporary English, French and Italian music, he created the first enduring English operas. Unlike the larger semi-operas, Fairy Queen and King Arthur, (which include spoken texts between the musical numbers), Dido was his only entirely musical opera, and is his best-known and most beloved work for the stage. Lacking its original prologue and epilogue, it is like a noble torso. PMW's orchestra and soloists will team with the University of Washington Chamber Singers to present a full length version that includes Purcell's sublime Welcome songs for the King's return to court.Pacific MusicWorks (PMW) announces the 2016-2017 Season which includes a new venue, Benaroya Hall, and four unique classical concert productions. Breathtaking, ¡Navidad!, Handel's Tenor and Dido & Aeneas all pull from the 17th thru to the late 19th century music traditions and incorporate a variety of instrumental, operatic and vocal elements. The first concert of the season, Breathtaking will be held at the St. James Cathedral in downtown Seattle. The remainder of the season is at Benaroya Hall with select performances at Meany Hall, Edmonds United Methodist Church and Mercer Island's Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Four concert subscription packages are available online now. Single tickets go on sale September 7, 2016 at www.PacificMusicWorks.org or by phone at (206) 708-6003. Youth ages 5-17 always receive a free ticket with accompanying ticketed adult. Interviews with the artistic director, Stephen Stubbs are available by request.

Breathtaking - A Voice and Cornetto Entwined

Sat. Nov. 5, 8pm St. James Cathedral, 804 9th Avenue, Seattle WA

Bruce Dickey has been responsible, more than anyone else, for reviving the cornetto and raising it to the level of a virtuoso solo instrument. Rising star, Czech soprano Hana Blažíková, modeled her own baroque singing style on the sounds and sensuous qualities of Bruce's playing. Once they began collaborating they realized they were uniquely poised to explore the affinities of the instrument with the voice. The result is "Breathtaking" and PMW is thrilled to present its debut US tour.

¡Navidad! - Christmas Music from New and Old Spain

Fri. Dec. 9, 7:30 pm Edmonds Methodist Church

Sat. Dec. 10 7:30 pm Mercer Island's Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Sun. Dec. 11 2pm Benaroya Hall, Seattle WA

Colonial Latin America's unique melting pot of Italian, Spanish, African, Portuguese, and native traditions led to the creation of the Christmas Villancico. This vivacious, rhythmic, and rustic form retells the Christmas story through the characteristic sounds of guitar, harp, harpsichord and strings with a quartet of voices. Experience a rich tapestry of works from Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, and Spain in this unique holiday program. The program includes the US premieres of works by Guatemalan composer Rafael Castellanos (ca. 1721-1791) and Spanish composer Fabián Garcia Pacheco (1725-1808).

Handel's Tenor - Beard's Beauties

Sat. Feb. 25, 7:30 pm Mercer Island's Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Sun. Feb 26, 2pm Benaroya Hall, SeattleWA

From the moment the young English tenor James Beard first performed with Handel in 1734, the composer began fashioning roles for him. This led to a new idea - the tenor as Oratorio's leading man. Until this moment, sopranos and castrati dominated the operatic stage. As Handel invented and shaped the English Oratorio, and took advantage of John Beard's special talents, he was able to compose pieces that, to this day, define the elements of this genre. With GRAMMY award-winning tenor, Aaron Sheehan PMW creates a portrait of this historical character with some of Handel's most glorious music

Dido & Aeneas - Henry Purcell

Sat. April 29, 7:30 pm Benaroya Hall, SeattleWA

Sun. April 30, 2pm Meany Hall, Univ of WA Campus, Seattle WA

In the late 17th century Henry Purcell had a musical life of Mozartian proportions - tragically short yet unbelievably brilliant. Synthesizing all the best elements of contemporary English, French and Italian music, he created the first enduring English operas. Unlike the larger semi-operas, Fairy Queen and King Arthur, (which include spoken texts between the musical numbers), Dido was his only entirely musical opera, and is his best-known and most beloved work for the stage. Lacking its original prologue and epilogue, it is like a noble torso. PMW's orchestra and soloists will team with the University of Washington Chamber Singers to present a full length version that includes Purcell's sublime Welcome songs for the King's return to court.