JUBILATIONS, HANDEL'S MESSIAH and More Highlight Musica Sacra's 2012-13 Season, Opening 10/22

Musica Sacra has announced its 2012-2013 season of three programs featuring the Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra and a stellar cast of internationally acclaimed soloists under the leadership of Music Director Kent Tritle.

The season begins with “JUBILATIONS” tonight, October 22, 2012 at 8 PM, at Alice Tully Hall, with a performance of three choral masterpieces: Mozart’s Exsultate, Jubilate, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and Haydn’s “Lord Nelson” Mass. The solo motet Exsultate, Jubilate will feature rising-star soprano Susanna Phillips in her debut performance with Musica Sacra. Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy will feature pianist Anna Shelest playing the formidable piano solo that Beethoven composed for himself. Soloists Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo soprano, John Tiranno, tenor, and Charles Perry Sprawls, bass will join Ms. Phillips and the Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra for the Beethoven and Haydn.

On Thursday, December 20, 2012 and Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 8:00 PM at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, Kent Tritle leads the choir and orchestra in Musica Sacra’s annual Messiah performances. While there are many occasions to hear Handel’s Messiah in New York City each holiday season, Musica Sacra’s presentations are the longest consecutive running performances by a fully professional chorus in the city’s history. Its performances have been hailed as “impressively transparent and vibrant” and with “cleanly enunciated and radiant singing of the chorus” by The New York Times, and New York Magazine declared, “I doubt if the city offers a better version of Messiah.” The featured soloists are soprano Kathryn Lewek, mezzo-soprano Kirsten Sollek, tenor Nicholas Phan, and bass Matthew Boehler.

The final concert of the season, “THE SOUL REJOICES” will be on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 8:00 PM. The Church of St. Paul the Apostle (Columbus Ave. at 60th Street) provides the perfect venue for the range of choral music featured in Musica Sacra’s spring concert. Selections include two contrasting Magnificats: Monteverdi’s with continuo from the Vespers of 1610 and Arvo Pärt’s a cappella Magnificat composed in 1989. John Tavener’s Svyati featuring cellist Arthur Fiacco and Felix Mendelssohn’s motets from Die Deutsche Liturgie for double chorus will round out the program.

Musica Sacra has a long history of releasing recordings to further the mission of sharing the finest choral music to the widest range of listeners possible. Messages to Myself was recorded in 2011 at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music and is released on the independent classical label MSR Classics. It marks Musica Sacra’s first commercial release since 1993 and its first under the direction of Kent Tritle as Music Director and Conductor. The album for a cappella chorus features works composed exclusively in the last twenty-five years and includes commissions by Musica Sacra of compositions of Daniel Brewbaker and Michael Gilbertson as well as several world premiere recordings. For more information and track listing, visit www.msrcd.com/catalog/cd/MS1411.

2012-2013 Concert Season

Tonight, October 22, 2012 — 8 PM
Alice Tully Hall
Broadway at 65th Street

JUBILATIONS:
MOZART, HAYDN AND BEETHOVEN

Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra

Mozart: Exsultate, Jubilate
Haydn: "Lord Nelson" Mass
Beethoven: Choral Fantasy

Susanna Phillips, soprano
Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo soprano
John Tiranno, tenor
Charles Perry Sprawls, bass
Anna Shelest, piano

Tickets: $25, $50, $75, $90

Thursday, December 20, 2012 — 8 PM
Sunday, December 23, 2012 — 8 PM
Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage (57th Street at 7th Avenue)

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL: Messiah