Bach Collegium San Diego Will Perform Handel's MESSIAH in a Cross-Border Collaboration

Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD), one of the country's leading ensembles, celebrates the holiday season with Handel's beloved oratorio Messiah with performances both in English and Spanish featuring BCSD's commissioned Spanish libretto by Mario Montenegro, and delivered with BCSD's customary virtuosity and vibrancy. 

The final performance on December 12 at Centro Cultural Tijuana marks the closing ceremony for the joint, year-long bicentennial of the U.S.-Mexico relations, and staff from the Mexican Consulate General is expected to be in attendance.

The company commissioned a Spanish libretto of Handel's Messiah with the purpose of performing it in one of the vernacular languages of our immediate community, both in the United States and Mexico.

In writing the libretto for the full Spanish version, Montenegro had to make major decisions about the structure of the text as well as the Spanish-language translation.

“I opted to create original text instead of relying on a mere translation of the text in English, which takes a selection of pre-existing biblical texts, arranged and structured to offer a profile of Jesus Christ in four episodes: the Nativity, the Passion, the Resurrection and the Ascension,” said Montenegro. “Being a work from the 18th century, we needed to ensure coherence and understanding directly from the text and move away from the academics of the language. We decided to expand the forms and verbal conjugations of Mexican Spanish with the contemporary forms of use of Iberian Spanish, which gave us linguistic reference closer to the time of the work while making it understandable to the modern speaker.”

Soloists:

Nell Snaidas, Soprano

Estelí Gomez, Soprano

Cecilia Duarte, Mezzo-Soprano

Jay Carter, Countertenor

Jacob Perry, Tenor

Mischa Bouvier, Bass
 

Bach Collegium San Diego engages audiences with accessible, historically informed performances and educational programs featuring repertoire from the Renaissance, Baroque, and early Classical eras. The ensemble was founded in 2003 by Music Director Ruben Valenzuela to diversify the musical offerings of the San Diego community. 

WHEN: 

Friday, December 9, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. (English) | Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church | 3459 Manchester Ave, Cardiff, CA 92007

Saturday, December 10 at 3 p.m. (Spanish) | All Souls Episcopal Church | 1475 Catalina Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107

Tuesday, December 12 at 6 p.m. | Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT) | Calle Paseo de los Heros 9350 Zona Rio, 22010 Tijuana, B.C, Mexico

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