Ars Lyrica Houston Introduces Live Streaming on its YouTube Channel

Ars Lyrica Houston (ALH) returns to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts this September with the season opening performance of Les Plaisirs de Versailles, its first event to be live streamed around the world. Early music fans everywhere will be able to watch the concert on September 9, starting with a pre-concert Moment with the Artists at 7pm CT/8 pm ET on ALH's YouTube channel, followed by the performance. ALH's YouTube channel currently hosts a collection of videos, with a varied selection of season highlights from previously recorded performances and album recordings.

Recent additions include the ensemble's latest recording, Heart & Soul: Devotional music from the German Baroque, to its highly acclaimed production of Domenico Scarlatti's La Dirindina, featuring Cardiff Singer of the World mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton. "YouTube has been a successful platform for mainstream artists to share some of their great musical performances, most recently in major musical festivals, but now it's our chance to open up our unique programming to a massive audience," said Jacqueline Altobelli, Director of Marketing.

The organization, known for both its innovative programing and developing early music performances in Houston, is proud to present its HD, multi-camera video content to the YouTube audience. "We are very excited about live streaming our subscription programs this season," says Executive Director, Kinga Ferguson. "We are hoping to expand our reach well beyond the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and make our programs accessible to a worldwide audience. We also want to engage more viewers in a social conversation in real time and energize early music community in Houston and beyond."

"I was so happy to learn about Ars Lyrica's new live streaming initiative," says ALH's Young Professionals Society member and patron Dave Morris. He adds: "[this] has the potential to impact so many young aspiring musicians around the world who have not yet had a chance to experience the beauty of early chamber music." ALH's YouTube page currently boasts over 12,500 views and has a growing subscriber base. While the bulk of ALH's YouTube audience (32%) is in the U.S., they have significant viewership spread across other countries, including top viewers Spain, France, and Mexico who combined (35%) are higher than the US audience.

A feature of the season opener includes the highly anticipated return of stage director Tara Faircloth, "Tara and I are both delighted to be collaborating on Charpentier's Les Plaisirs de Versailles again, which we collaborated on first in 2010," adds Dirst. Patrons can expect many highlights, including the sounds of mezzo-soprano Ellie Jarrett Shattles, baritone Mark Diamond, theorbist Michael Leopold, and so many more! "What's not to like about this little gem of an opera? Delightful subject matter, laugh-out-loud funny, gorgeous tunes, and all within barely 30 minutes - I only wish there were more of these in the repertoire!" says Matthew Dirst, Artistic Director.

ALH's 2016/17 Season Fables & Follies future live streaming dates include: Charpentier's Les Plaisirs de Versailles - FRI, SEPT 9 AT 7:30 PM; Handel's Jephtha - SAT, OCT 15 AT 7:30 PM + SUN, OCT 16 AT 2:30 PM; Bachanalia: Cantatas for the New Year - SAT, DEC 31 AT 9PM; Scalable Heights - SUN, FEB 12 AT 6 PM; Classical Spectres - SUN, APRIL 2 AT 6 PM; and Don Quixote's Excellent Adventures - SUN, MAY 21 AT 6 PM. ALH's YouTube Channel can be found at https://www.youtube.com/c/ArsLyricaHouston/live

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