Mercury Chamber Orchestra Announces 25th Anniversary Season

Antoine Plante have announced Mercury Chamber Orchestra's 25th Anniversary Season: a bold  celebration of diverse masterworks, beloved audience favorites from the past 25 years,  and dramatic collaboration with acclaimed playwright and director Pascal Rambert.  

This season's highlights include Bach's Complete Brandenburg Concertos, a performance  of all six of Bach's virtuosic concertos in one evening. Bach's Christmas  Oratorio, featuring The Mercury Singers in an adaptation by Antoine Plante that captures  the grandeur and festive spirit of the season. Hémisphères which will take audiences on a  global musical journey, blending the fiery passion of tango with Nordic soundscapes and  classical elegance. The program features cellist Stéphane Tétreault and bandoneónist  Denis Plante, culminating in the world premiere of Nordic Tango, Concerto for Cello and  Bandoneón. Later in the spring, Mercury presents LOVE, a theatrical experience created  by playwright Pascal Rambert and Mercury's Antoine Plante, intertwining spoken word with  the hauntingly beautiful music of Purcell and Dowland to explore love, memory, and loss. 

Mercury is also delighted to return to Houston's beloved Miller Outdoor Theatre for its  annual free community concert, officially launching the 2025-2026 season on Labor Day  weekend. This year's program will showcase the timeless brilliance of Handel & Vivaldi,  offering audiences a thrilling and uplifting evening of music in one of the city's most iconic  outdoor venues.  

As part of our commitment to bringing exciting, accessible, and diverse performances to  audiences across Houston, Mercury's ConocoPhillips Neighborhood Series continues  to connect communities through intimate music experiences. This season, we are thrilled  to continue performances across Houston at beloved venues including Saengerhalle in the  Heights, Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and  Dosey Doe in The Woodlands. In celebration of our 25th anniversary, we invite audiences  to experience Vivaldi's The Four Seasons honoring the 300th anniversary of its first publication alongside Songs of the Virgin: An Italian Baroque Christmas and Bolero  Querido, where the passion of bolero meets the grandeur of concert music. These short,  affordable concerts, hosted at unique venues across Houston, offer audience members  access to one-of-a-kind programs and memorable concert experiences beyond the  concert hall. 

With a season that honors its rich history while embracing bold new artistic directions,  Mercury invites audiences to join in this milestone celebration of music, creativity, and  community.  

FREE COMMUNITY CONCERT AT MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE

Saturday, August 30, 2025, 8 PM  

Handel & Vivaldi: Celebrating Mercury's 25th Season  

VIVALDI: Summer from The Four Seasons  

HANDEL: Water Music  

DOWNTOWN SERIES 

Wortham Center | Hobby Center  

ONE 

Bach's Complete Brandenburg  

Saturday, October 11, 2025, 8 PM 

J.S. BACH 

Concerto No. 1 in F Major, BWV 1046 

Concerto No. 2 in F Major, BWV 1047 

Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048 

Concerto No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049 

Concerto No. 5 in D Major, BWV 1050 

Concerto No. 6 in B-flat Major, BWV 1051 

TWO 

Mozart's Jupiter Symphony 

Saturday, November 8, 2025, 8 PM 

Thomas Carroll, Clarinet  

HAYDN: Symphony No. 88 in G Major  

MOZART: Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622 

MOZART: Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K. 551, “Jupiter”  

THREE 

Bach's Christmas Oratorio  

Saturday, December 13, 2025, 8 PM 

The Mercury Singers, Betsy Cook Weber, Director 

J.S. BACH: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 (adapted by Antoine Plante) 

FOUR 

Hémisphères  

Saturday, January 10, 2026, 8 PM  

Stephane Tetreault, Cello 

Denis Plante, Bandonéon 

TRADITIONAL: Tangos argentins (3)  

PIAZZOLLA: Escualo  

GINASTERA: Danza Argentina 

VILLA-LOBOS: Bachiana Brasileira No. 5 

DE FALLA : Ritual Fire Dance  

GRIEG: First movement from String Quartet No. 1 in G minor  

SIBELIUS: Valse Triste 

PÄRT : Fratres 

D. PLANTE : Nordic Tango, Concerto for Cello and Bandonéon (World Premiere)  

FIVE 

Birds, Bees, & Beethoven 6 

Saturday, February 14, 2026, 8 PM  

MENDELSSOHN: Incidental music from A Midsummer Night's Dream 

BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, “Pastoral”  

SIX

LOVE 

Friday, March 20, 2026, 8 PM 

Saturday, March 21, 2026, 2:30 PM & 8 PM  

(Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center)  

A creation by Pascal Rambert and Antoine Plante 

Playwright: Pascal Rambert 

Music: Purcell & Dowland 

Love, a new musical play by Pascal Rambert and Antoine Plante, explores the depths of love,  memory, and loss through a seamless blend of spoken word and song. Set to the haunting music of  Purcell and Dowland, including pieces like Flow My Tears and The Plaint, the play draws audiences  into an emotional journey where words and music intertwine. 

SEVEN 

Vivaldi's Voices 

Saturday, May 16, 2026, 8 PM  

The Mercury Singers, Betsy Cook Weber, Director  

VIVALDI 

Kyrie, RV 587  

Ascende laeta, RV 635  

Cantata: Cessate, omai cessate, RV 684  

Laudete pueri, RV 602  

Concerto for Cello, RV 419  

Credo, RV 591  

This program is graciously underwritten by Christopher & Elizabeth Prince.  

CONOCOPHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD SERIES 

Saengerhalle (Heights) | MDPC (Memorial) | MFAH (Museum) | Dosey Doe (Woodlands)  

ONE 

October 23, 24, 25, 26, 2025 

Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (Complete)  

In celebration of the 300th anniversary of its first publication  

TWO  

December 18, 19, 20, 21, 2025 

Songs of the Virgin: An Italian Baroque Christmas 

Michael Skarke, Countertenor  

THREE 

April 16, 17, 18, 19, 2026 

Bolero Querido  

Step into the enchanting world of Bolero Querido, where the passion of bolero meets the grandeur  of concert music. This captivating show takes you on a journey through time and across borders,  sharing fascinating stories of legendary artists like Cantinflas, Consuelo Velásquez, and Ravel.  From early seguidillas to contemporary ballet, experience the beauty, diversity, and cultural legacy  of this rich musical heritage. 

NEIGHBORHOOD DAYS | TIMES | VENUES  

Thursday, 7:30 PM | Saengerhalle (Heights) 

Friday, 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM | MFAH (Museum) 

Saturday, 2:30 PM | MDPC (Memorial) 

Sunday, 7:00 PM | Dosey Doe (Woodlands)  

Houston Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. BRIGHT STAR (Spark Theater)

7.4% of votes

2. ROCK OF AGES (Standing Ovation Theatre)

6.1% of votes

3. THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA (The Sankofa Collective)

5.9% of votes

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