Handel and Haydn Society Perform Concert with Portland Ovations 10/29

Portland Ovations brings the Handel and Haydn Society to Hannaford Hall at USM Portland for an afternoon concert Saturday, October 29th at 3pm.

Approaching its bicentennial in 2015, the Handel and Haydn Society is the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States. Founded in Boston in 1815, the Handel and Haydn Society is internationally recognized for its revelatory style of using the instruments and techniques of the composer's time. The mission of the Society is to perform Baroque and Classical music at the highest levels and share that music with a large and diverse audience. With an esteemed tradition of innovation and excellence, which began in the 19th century with the American premieres of Handel's Messiah (1818), the Handel and Haydn Society over the last 20 years have given important historical performances of core repertoire and introduced innovative programs to great acclaim. They also won a Grammy award in 2002 for their recording of Sir John Tavener's Lamentations and Praises, co-commissioned with Chanticleer.

Handel and Haydn Society's Portland Ovations concert features 15 musicians, including musical director and harpsichordist Ian Watson, in a program of works by J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Henry Purcell, William Boyce, Charles Avison and George Frideric Handel.

Ovations Offstage offers a pre-performance lecture, "Historic Instruments in Contemporary Culture" at 2pm in Hannaford Hall with Ian Watson, Handel & Haydn Society's harpsichord player, who will discuss the role of historic instruments in contemporary music culture.

Tickets for Handel and Haydn Society are $34 for Ovations' Members, $38 for the general public and a limited amount of $10 student tickets are also available. The Handel and Haydn Society's performance is graciously sponsored by MPBN. To purchase tickets, contact PortTix at 207-842-0800 or visit the box office window at Merrill Auditorium. Tickets are also available online at www.portlandovations.org.

About Portland Ovations
Each year since 1931, Portland Ovations brings a dynamic season of exceptional performing artists from around the world to Maine including classical music, jazz, opera, dance, theater, and Broadway national tours. In addition to live performances, Ovations brings the exhilaration of the performing arts out into our community with season-long educational and outreach activities known as Ovations Offstage. A Maine-based non-profit, Portland Ovations contributes to the cultural, social and economic well-being of our community by presenting an array of high quality performing artists from around the world and creating diverse educational experiences that bring the enjoyment, energy and enrichment of the arts to all.

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