Hallellujah! Tafelmusik Returns To The Stage For Live Concerts

Peace, joy, merriment, and hope - Christmas wouldn't be the same without Tafelmusik! Almost 21 months after its last live public performance at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Tafelmusik will make its long-awaited return to the stage with A Tafelmusik Christmas.

Curated by Ivars Taurins, this festive program spanning two centuries reunites members of the choir and orchestra for the first time this year. In addition to the emotional impact of performing before a live audience, A Tafelmusik Christmas marks another reason to celebrate: the launch of Tafelmusik Chamber Choir's 40th anniversary season.

A Tafelmusik Christmas will be performed live on November 25 and 26 at 8 pm, and November 27 at 2 pm at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, with physically distanced seating. The digital concert premieres online on December 16, 2021, at 8 pm ET. Live concert tickets go on sale to Season Passholders on November 2. A limited number of single tickets will be made available to the general public starting November 4. Detailed ticket information for both the live and digital concerts is outlined below.

A selection of sparkling choruses from Handel's Messiah and richly harmonized baroque arrangements of Christmas carols complement the exuberance of Bach and the elegance of Charpentier. Choral works by Berlioz and Poulenc add depth and dimension, evoking a sense of wonder and tranquillity that is synonymous with the season. Pastoral sinfonias by Stradella and Pasquini balance this program recalling the many moods and emotions of Christmas.

Under Taurins' direction since its formation in 1981, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir has been described as "the best period-performance choir anywhere in the world" (Globe and Mail) and is renowned for a vocal style focused on clarity, purity, and transparency of sound that brings a freshness and directness to the music they perform. This was formally recognized in 1991, when the choir received the Healey Willan Prize for its consistently high level of achievement and unique contribution to choral art in Canada.

"This season, we raise our voices to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tafelmusik Chamber Choir," says Taurins. "They are a remarkable group of singers, not only because of their individual and combined talents, but also because of their collegiality, their willingness to try anything that I or the music might throw at them, and ultimately, their desire to share their love for the music we sing with our audience."

PROGRAM:

Johann Sebastian Bach Sanctus in D Major
J.S. Bach Christum wir sollen loben schon, from Cantata 21
J.S. Bach Excerpts from Lutheran Mass in G Major
Alessandro Stradella Sinfonia from Cantata per il Santissimo Natale
Marc-Antoine Charpentier Messe de minuit: Agnus Dei
Hector Berlioz The farewell of the shepherds, from L'Enfance du Christ
Francis Poulenc Videntes stellam
Bernardo Pasquini Introduzione & Pastorale (arranged)
George Frideric Handel Choruses from Messiah
Arrangements of traditional carols

Tafelmusik gratefully acknowledges the support of BMO Presenting Sponsor of the 2021/22 Concert season and our government partners, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Photo by Dahlia Katz LISTING INFORMATION
all times Eastern Time Zone

A Tafelmusik Christmas LIVE CONCERTS:
Thursday, November 25 and Friday November 26 at 8 pm
Saturday, November 27 at 2 pm
Note: the November 25 and 26 concerts are being filmed and some seats may have obstructed views due to camera placement.
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre (physically distanced seating)
Priority access with purchase of Tafelmusik Digital Season Pass available at tafelmusik.org
Live concert tickets available to Passholders starting November 2
A limited number of single tickets for the general public will be available starting
November 4 at tafelmusik.org

A Tafelmusik Christmas DIGITAL BROADCAST:
Premieres online on December 16, 2021, at 8 pm ET.
Single tickets for the digital broadcast allow viewing access for up to one week and will be available at tafelmusik.org starting November 4.

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