Joseph Haydn : The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross at St James' Anglican Church

Vancouver's Vivaldi Chamber Choir and Ensemble Harmonia will present Joseph Haydn’s oratorio The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross in an upcoming performance under the direction of Edette Gagne. Each of the seven movements reflects one of Christ's final sayings from the cross, unfolding through orchestral writing and featuring choral and solo vocal settings that bring the sacred text to life. The performance will feature soprano Olivia Selig, mezzo-soprano Moriah Wax, tenor Steve Froese, and bass-baritone Jack Foster.

The event will take place at the St James' Anglican Church, a historic church well suited to the reflective character of the work. Known for its fine acoustics and architectural beauty, the church provides an environment that complements both the choral and instrumental forces.

About Vivaldi Chamber Choir
The Vivaldi Chamber Choir is a choral ensemble known for its performances of classical and contemporary vocal music, including works by composers such as Vivaldi. Founded in 1987, the choir has built a reputation for its musical excellence, dynamic performances, and commitment artistic excellence.
Under the leadership of artistic director Edette Gagne, the Vivaldi Chamber Choir brings together talented singers to perform works from the Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic periods, as well as newly commissioned pieces. The choir is recognised for performances of musical styles and excellence in languages from worlds old and new and from all periods

About Ensemble Harmonia
Ensemble Harmonia is a community string orchestra of professional and advanced players, with 16-22 musicians depending on the event. Founded in 2004 by Tony Lee, it began as a small group playing for personal enjoyment, later evolving into public performances to raise funds for charitable causes.
The ensemble, under conductor Nicholas Urquhart, focuses on string orchestral music from Baroque to contemporary, occasionally adding wind instruments or keyboard. It promotes young local talent by featuring them as soloists. Since 2020, the orchestra has performed at Taiwanfest and the Lunar Year concerts at the Orpheum Theatre, and has partnered with pianist Anna Sagalova for fundraising concerts supporting Ukraine.

Soloists
Olivia Selig, soprano, graduated from the University of Victoria’s Bachelor of Music programme (2014), where she studied with Anne Grimm. She has performed as soloist in Poulenc’s Gloria, Bob Chilcott’s Wenceslas, and Respighi’s Lauda per la Nativita del Signore, and appeared with Opera on the Avalon and Opera NUOVA. Olivia has participated in choral festivals including the International Choral Festival in Barcelona (2017), and is soprano section lead for Vivaldi Chamber Choir and a regular performer with Phoenix Chamber Choir.

Moriah Wax, mezzo-soprano, is from Los Angeles, CA, and holds an MMus in Opera Performance from UBC and a BMus from the University of Southern California. She has performed with Vancouver Opera, USC Thornton Opera Ensemble, UBC Opera Ensemble, Musiktheater Bavaria, and Operafestival di Roma, as well as local companies including the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of UBC, North Shore Light Opera, Heroic Opera, and Westben Arts Festival Theatre. Moriah returns to perform with Vivaldi Chamber Choir and Ensemble Harmonia.

Steve Froese, tenor, is a lifelong musician who began with Suzuki violin at age four and sang southern gospel with his family. Now a professional multi-instrumentalist with a four-octave range, he performs as lyric tenor and counter-tenor, and across other voice types. He appeared on Broadway as Skimbleshanks in Cats and has worked locally with North Shore Light Opera Society in Iolanthe, Pirates of Penzance, and The Magic Flute. Steve has sung with the Vancouver Cantata Singers, Richmond Chorus, No Bach Aloud, , Bella Voce, and Chor Leoni

Jack Foster, bass-baritone, is a multi-disciplinary creative based in Vancouver, BC. He earned a BMus in Voice Performance from UBC in 2016 and views choral music as a way to build community and explore diverse traditions. Jack has performed with a variety of ensembles and worked with conductors including Dr Nicholle Andrews and Dr Hussein Janmohamed. He is currently active with Vivaldi Chamber Choir, Shaughnessy Heights United Church Choir, and the award-winning Phoenix Chamber Choir.

Website:  https://go.evvnt.com/3511521-2?pid=11710

Artists:  Olivia Selig, soprano, Moriah Wax, mezzo-soprano, Steve Froese, tenor, Jack Foster, bass-baritone, Edette Gagne 

Time:  19:30 -  20:40