Contemporary Circus & Baroque Music Take the Stage in ENGLISH BAROQUE WITH CIRCA

A tumbling commotion of musicians and acrobats collide in an explosive collaboration of contemporary circus and music from the English Baroque.
With guest artist, soprano JANE SHELDON.

Perhaps the most celebrated and popular of the Brandenburg's collaborations has been the Helpmann Award-winning partnership with contemporary circus ensemble Circa, which brought period music and contemporary acrobatics to the same stage.

After previously creating shows based on the music of France and Spain, Brandenburg Artistic Director Paul Dyer and Circa Artist Director Yaron Lifschitz, have devised a brand-new show that conceptualises the English Baroque into an explosive and thrilling collision of music and circus.

"Working with Paul is always an amazing adventure," says Yaron Lifschitz.

"He brings talent and energy and joy to everything he does and his spirit is manifested in the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Ours are always meetings of great delight."

English Baroque with Circa is a part of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra's 30th Anniversary celebrations and Yaron promises a night of absolute pleasure for the audiences at the world premiere that will open the Canberra International Music Festival, followed by performances in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

"On one enchanted night the worlds of the court, the bedroom, the chapel and the fairground all get bathed in magical moonlight," Yaron adds. "Playful, lyrical and rambunctious, the show brings the different worlds of the English Baroque together for a night of beauty and pleasure."

The musicians will play a pasticcio created by Paul and Yaron that brings together music from 16th and 17th-century England by composers Purcell, Dowland, Corelli and Handel, as well as traditional tunes like Scarborough Fair and The Garan Mother's Lullaby.

Appropriately for an anniversary year, another significant and important Brandenburg collaborator returns for English Baroque with Circa. ARIA nominated soprano Jane Sheldon first sang on the Brandenburg stage as a teenager, having already been a star of the Sydney Children's Choir and released her first album on the ABC Classics label. Jane has recently returned to live in Australia after a decade living and working out of New York, where The New York Times praised her 'full-on vocal virtuosity." She last sang with the orchestra in its 25th Anniversary celebration.

CANBERRA
Canberra International Music Festival
Llewellyn Hall
Thu 2 May at 7.30pm
BOOKINGS:Ticketek or www.cmif.org.au

SYDNEY
City Recital Hall
Wed 8, Fri 10, Sat 11, Wed 15 & Fri 17 May at 7PM
Matinee Sat 11 May at 2PM
BOOKINGS: Ph: 1300 782 856 / (02) 9328 7581 or www.brandenburg.com.au

MELBOURNE
Melbourne Recital Centre
Sat 18 May at 7PM
Sun 19 May at 5PM
BOOKINGS:Ph: 1300 782 856 / (02) 9328 7581
www.brandenburg.com.au

BRISBANE
QPAC Concert Hall
Tue 21 May at 7:30PM
BOOKINGS: Ph: 136 246www.qpac.com.au

ARTISTS
Paul Dyer Artistic Director
Yaron Lifschitz Artistic Director, CIRCA
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra
Performers of CIRCA
Jane Sheldon soprano

Australia - Sydney Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. A CHORUS LINE (Curtain Bounce)

11.7% of votes

2. MJ THE MUSICAL (Sydney Lyric Theatre)

7.8% of votes

3. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Gosford Musical Society)

6.5% of votes

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