Great Barrington — At 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 28, and Sunday, December 29, Christine Gevert will lead the Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra and soloists in a program of music themed on the victory of light over darkness.
At the heart of the program is J.S. Bach’s fifth cantata of his Christmas Oratorio “Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen,“ BWV 248, first performed on January 2, 1735, in Leipzig.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio is considered one of the composer’s foremost masterpieces and has long been central to choral repertoires worldwide. Its text mirrors the Angelic Chorus from the biblical narrative of Christ’s birth and aligns with the theme of praise and thanksgiving in the context of the Nativity.
The program also includes works by Johann Schelle, Johann Rosenmüller, Philipp Erlebach, Jeremias du Grain, and Bach’s mentor Dieterich Buxtehude.
Composers Emily Drum, MaryAnne Muglia, and Christine Donkin round out the program with unaccompanied contemporary choral works.
The performers on the 28th and 29th are:
- The Crescendo Chorus of 40 singers
- Paulina Francisco, soprano
- Nicholas Tamagna, countertenor
- Gene Stenger, tenor
- Douglas Williams, bass-baritone
- Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra, led by Christine Gevert
Paulina Francisco sings opera and chamber music, performing at major festivals and halls throughout the world. She won the 11th edition of Le Jardin des Voix with Les Arts Florissants and is a soloist in their production of Henry Purcell’s “The Fairy Queen.”
Nicholas Tamagna is an Italian-American countertenor acclaimed for his performances in both baroque and contemporary opera. He has received praise for his vocal quality and dramatic versatility, most notably for his performance as Narciso at the Metropolitan Opera.
Tenor Gene Stenger is acclaimed for his performances in oratorio and early music, particularly the works of J.S. Bach. He has performed with such ensembles as the Buffalo Philharmonic, Odyssey Opera, Orchestra Seattle, Chatham Baroque, Mineola Choral Society, Virginia Symphony, Bach Society of St. Louis, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and the Colorado Bach Ensemble.
Bass-baritone Douglas Williams studied singing at New England Conservatory of Music and Yale School of Music and trained as an actor at Shakespeare & Company. He distinguished himself in the roles of Don Giovanni, Figaro, Nick Shadow in “The Rake’s Progress,” and Pluto in the American premiere of Jonathan Dove’s “The Other Euridice.” In musical theater, Williams has appeared as Nick Arnstein in “Funny Girl” and in Barry Manilow’s “Harmony” as Bobby Biberti.
Composer Emily Drum is a singer, arranger, composer, songwriter, producer, and coach from Tucson, Ariz. Versed in both contemporary and classical genres, Emily has earned nine Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award nominations as a songwriter, arranger, and producer.
MaryAnne Muglia is a member of Red Letter Daze, a professional vocal ensemble with over 200,000 followers on TikTok and multiple Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards nominations and wins. She also leads the A Cappella and Vocal Jazz programs at Chandler-Gilbert Community College and the VocaSol Community Choir.
Christine Donkin’s compositions have been performed by such orchestras as Symphony New Brunswick, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Toronto and Vancouver Symphonies. Additionally, the Canadian Guitar Quartet, DaCapo Chamber Choir, and Cantus (the Norwegian choir featured in the soundtrack of Frozen) have performed Donkin’s works.
Hear players of the Crescendo Period Instrument orchestra and soloists perform “Bach-Circle: Christmas Oratorios and Contemporary Female Voices” on Saturday, December 28, 4 p.m., at Trinity Church, 484 Lime Rock Rd., Lakeville, CT, or on Sunday, December 29, 4 p.m., at Saint James Place, 352 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA. Tickets are available here.
