FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Guest conductor Jonathan Cohen leads PBO in program of vocal works with acclaimed countertenor Iestyn Davies
CONTACT:
Dianne Provenzano
Marketing & Communications Director
press@philharmonia.org
(415) 252-1288 x 315
SAN FRANCISCO – BERKELEY – PALO ALTO – LAFAYETTE
January 18, 2017, San Francisco – Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale welcomes guest conductor Jonathan Davies who will lead PBO in a program featuring opera arias along with orchestral music from the Baroque and early Classical periods. The program, called “Operatic Heroes,” features acclaimed British countertenor Iestyn Davies who will perform excerpts from Handel’s “Saul,” and “Theodora,” Hasse’s “Didone Abbandonata,” Thomas Arne’s “Alfred,” and Gluck’s “Telemaco,” and Orfeo ed Euridice.
Davies is one of the world’s finest countertenors and is known for his technical dexterity, intelligent musicianship and beautiful tone. He’s won two Gramophone Awards, a GRAMMY Award, a Critic’s Choice Award and was recently nominated for an Oliver Award honoring the best of British theatre.
Jonathan Cohen has forged a remarkable career as a conductor, cellist and keyboardist. Cohen is known for his passion for chamber music and is as equally at ease with Baroque opera as he is with classical symphonic repertoire. He has recently been named the Music Director of Montreal’s highly esteemed Les Violons du Roy, effective in the 2018-19. Cohen founded his ensemble Arcangelo in 2010 and has produced four award-winning recordings including a 2012 Gramophone Award winning disc with Iestyn Davies called “Arias for Guadagni.” Six pieces from that recording will be performed at this PBO concert.
Jonathan Cohen and Iestyn Davies have a unique chemistry when they work together, with each bringing out the best in the other. Many of the pieces in the program were originally written for castrati. Davies approaches these works with incredible skill. And when combined with the historically-informed musicianship of the Orchestra, the audience can expect beautifully rendered performances of these lovely vocal works.
PBO Scholar-in-Residence and Chorale Director Bruce Lamott will provide Pre- Concert Talks that will take place forty-five minutes prior to each concert. Lamott will discuss the countertenor voice and its development over time.
PBO’s Operatic Heroes program will be performed throughout the Bay Area beginning Wednesday March 1 at 7:30 pm at Bing Concert Hall at Stanford; Friday March 3 at 8 pm at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco; Saturday March 4 at 8 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Berkeley and Sunday March 5 at 4 pm at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church in Lafayette.
Tickets range from $27 to $108. For more information about this and other Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale concerts, visit philharmonia.org. For San Francisco, Berkeley and Lafayette tickets, visit cityboxoffice.com or call 415-392-4400. For tickets to the Stanford performance, visit live.stanford.edu or call 650.724.BING (2464).
These concerts are the fifth set in a series of six regular 2016-17 season concerts that take place throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
PROGRAM NOTES FOR OPERATIC HEROES FOUND HERE.
Classical KDFC is the radio home of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale. KDFC broadcasts an unreleased live Philharmonia concert recording the second Sunday of every month from 8-9 PM.
CALENDAR DETAILS
WHO:
Jonathan Cohen, conductor
Iestyn Davies, countertneor
PHOTOGRAPHY: (Click to download)
Jonathan Cohen
Iestyn Davies
WHAT: Concert Performance
Operatic Heroes with Iestyn Davies and Jonathan Cohen
PROGRAM:
HANDEL “Oh Lord, whose mercies numberless” from “Saul”
HASSE “Ah che dissi, infelice! … Se resto sul lido” from “Didone Abbandonata”
ZELENKA Simphonie à 8 Concertanti in A minor, ZWV 189
ARNE “Vengeance, O come inspire me!” from “Alfred”
GLUCK “Ah! Non turbi il mio riposo” from “Telemaco”
HANDEL “Sweet Rose and Lily” from “Theodora”
CPE BACH Symphony in E major, Wq. 182/6
GLUCK Arias and dances from “Orfeo ed Euridice”
PRICE: Range from $27 to $108.
TICKETS: Available at City Box Office 415-392-4400 or cityboxoffice.com
WHEN/WHERE:
Wednesday March 1, 7:30 pm
Bing Concert Hall, Stanford
Friday March 3, 8 pm
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco
Saturday March 4, 8 pm
First Presbyterian Church, Berkeley
Sunday March 5, 4 pm
Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, Lafayette
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale present a program of arias and works from Baroque operas with guest conductor Jonathan Cohen and acclaimed countertenor Iestyn Davies. This British dynamic-duo will perform several works from their Gramophone award-winning recording “Arias for Guadagni” with the historically-informed musicians at PBO.
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