Musica Sacra Announces 2011-12 Season

Musica Sacra has announced its 2011-2012 season of four programs featuring the acclaimed Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra and a stellar cast of internationally acclaimed soloists under the leadership of Music Director Kent Tritle.

The season begins on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 8 PM, at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, with a performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil, Op. 37 (Vespers). This performance, a program in the Tchaikovsky in St. Petersburg festival, is part of the New York City-wide Carnegie Hall 120th Anniversary Celebration. Written and premiered in 1915, the Vespers consist of texts from the Russian Orthodox All-Night Vigil. Performed by a cappella choir, the work combines polyphony, traditional chants, modern text-painting, and free harmonic elaboration. Soloists performing are Kirsten Sollek, contralto, and John Tiranno, tenor.

On Tuesday, December 20, 2011 and Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 8:00 PM (Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage), Kent Tritle leads the choir and orchestra in Musica Sacra's annual Messiah performances. While there are many occasions to hear Handel's Messiah in New York City each holiday season, Musica Sacra's presentations are the longest consecutive running performances by a fully professional chorus in the city's history. Its performances have been hailed as "impressively transparent and vibrant" and with "cleanly enunciated and radiant singing of the chorus" by The New York Times, and New York Magazine declared, "I doubt if the city offers a better version of Messiah." The featured soloists are soprano Leslie Fagan, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor Cullen Gandy in his Carnegie Hall debut, and bass Kevin Deas.

The season continues on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 8:00 PM (Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall) with the Bach Family Notebook, selections by J.S. Bach and his forebears, performed by the Musica Sacra Chamber Chorus and Continuo. Throughout his lifetime, J.S. Bach kept a file of favorite compositions by his family members, and this performance features choral works by J.S. Bach and Johann, Johann Ludwig, Johann Michael, and Johann Christoph Bach.

The season comes to a close with Songs and Romances, featuring songs for chorus by Brahms, Schubert, and Schumann on Monday, April 23, 2012 at 8:00 PM (Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall). The women of Musica Sacra will be featured in Brahms' Four Songs for Women's Chorus, Two Horns and Harp, Op. 17 and the men of Musica Sacra in Schubert's Songs for Male Chorus. The full choir comes together for Brahms' boisterous Zigeunerlieder, with texts from Hungarian folk songs. Sorel Competition winner Anna Shelest accompanies the choir and is showcased in Schumann's Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11.

2011-2012 Concert Season

MUSICA SACRA
Professional Choral Music At Its Finest

Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 8 PM
The Church of St. Paul the Apostle (Columbus Avenue at 60th St.)
Presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall, as part of Tchaikovsky in St. Petersburg.

SERGEI RACHMANINOFF: All-Night Vigil, Op. 37 (Vespers)

Musica Sacra Chorus
Kent Tritle, Conductor
Kirsten Sollek, Contralto
John Tiranno, Tenor

Tickets: $50, $25 partial view

Tuesday, December 20, 2011at 8:00 PM
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 8:00 PM
Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage (57th Street at 7th Avenue)

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL: Messiah

Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra
Kent Tritle, Conductor
Leslie Fagan, Soprano
Sasha Cooke, Mezzo-Soprano
Cullen Gandy, Tenor
Kevin Deas, Bass

Tickets: $25 through $128

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 8:00 PM
Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall (154 West 57th Street)

BACH FAMILY NOTEBOOK

Musica Sacra Chamber Chorus and Continuo
Kent Tritle, Conductor
Arthur Fiacco, Cello

Johann Sebastian:
Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden
Selections from the Cello Suite
Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf

Johann Christoph:
Fürchte dich nicht

Johann:
Unser Leben ist ein Schatten

Johann Michael:
Halt, was du hast

Johann Ludwig:
Das ist meine Freude
Das Blut Jesu Christi
Sei nun wieder zufrieden, meine Seele

Tickets: $25 to $65

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Monday, April 23, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall (154 West 57th Street)

SONGS AND ROMANCES

Musica Sacra Chamber Chorus and Piano
Kent Tritle, Conductor
Anna Shelest, Piano

Johannes Brahms:
Four Songs for Women's Chorus, Two Horns and Harp, Op. 17
Ziguenerlieder, Op. 103

Franz Schubert:
Songs for Male Chorus

Robert Schumann:
Quartets for Chorus and Piano
Piano Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11

Tickets: $25 to $65

Tickets are available online at www.MusicaSacraNY.com or by calling 212-330-7684.

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