Handel and Haydn Society to Open 2019-20 Season with A Mozart Celebration

OCTOBER 4 + 6, 2019 at Symphony Hall

Press performance is Friday, October 4 at 7:30 PM

[Boston, MA – August 19, 2019] Kicking off its 205th Season, Handel and Haydn Society artistic director Harry Christophers will lead the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus in A Mozart Celebration on Friday, October 4, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 6 at 3 p.m. at Symphony Hall in Boston.

The season will open with a cherished selection of Mozart favorites, including Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Mass in C Minor, K.427, Great, Concert aria, “Nehmt meinen Dank, ihr holden Gonner!,” and Concert aria “Ah, lo previdi!” – “Ah t’invola” – “Deh, non varcar.”

Frequently dubbed “A Little Night Music,” Eine kleine Nachtmusik is a quick-paced, cheerful serenade, completed in Vienna in August 1787. It is one of Mozart’s most familiar pieces, widely performed and recorded. Mass in C Minor, K.427, Great is one of Mozart’s most profound and ambitious sacred works. It was composed in Vienna and first performed in Salzburg in 1783, as Mozart brought his wife home to meet his family for the first time, despite his father’s earlier opposition.

One of Mozart’s better-known concert arias, “Nehmt meinen Dank, ihr holden Gonner!” was written for soprano Aloysia Weber, his student and one-time love interest, as she moved away from Vienna. “Ah, lo previdi!” – “Ah t’invola” – “Deh, non varcar” is one of Mozart’s most celebrated concert arias, telling the story of Perseus’ rescue of Andromeda from a sea monster.

The exquisite vocal movements will be performed by the award-winning soprano Joelle Harvey, who will be joined by soprano Caitlin Lynch, tenor Aaron Sheehan, and bass-baritone Peter Walker, along with the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus.

“Mozart’s Mass in C Minor is a powerful piece, the perfect follow up to Mozart’s Requiem which closed our 204th Season,” said Handel and Haydn Society President and CEO David Snead. “Paired with the concert arias, it’s a powerful platform for Harry Christophers to showcase the incredible talent of the H+H Orchestra and Chorus, bringing Mozart’s music to life in a performance that is vital, immediate, and authentic. It’s an incredible way to open the new season.”

Tickets for individual performances may be purchased by calling 617.266.3605, visiting handelandhaydn.org or in person at 9 Harcourt Street in Boston (M-F 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.). Student and group discounts are also available.

The Handel and Haydn Society’s 2019–20 Season Performances include:

A Mozart Celebration – Oct 4 + 6, 2019 at Symphony Hall
Mozart Jupiter Symphony – Nov 8 + 10, 2019 at Symphony Hall
Handel Messiah – Nov 29 + 30, Dec 1, 2019 at Symphony Hall
A Baroque Christmas – Dec 19 + 22, 2019 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Mozart + Haydn- Jan 24 + 26, 2020 at Symphony Hall
Beethoven + Mozart – Feb 14 + 16, 2020 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Haydn + Beethoven – Feb 28 + March 1, 2020 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Bach St. Matthew Passion – April 3 + 5, 2020 at Symphony Hall
Vivaldi The Four Seasons – May 1 + 3, 2020 at Symphony Hall

About the Handel and Haydn Society

The Handel and Haydn Society is internationally acclaimed for its performances of Baroque and Classical music. Based in Boston, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners each year with a nine concert subscription series at Symphony Hall and other leading venues, in addition to a robust program of intimate events in museums, schools, and community centers. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Harry Christophers, the ensemble embraces historically informed performance, bringing classical music to life with the same immediacy it had the day it was written. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H also provides engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education to thousands of children each year. Founded in Boston in 1815, H+H has performed for 205 consecutive seasons, the most of any arts organization in the United States, and is unique for its longevity, capacity for reinvention, and distinguished history of premieres. For more information, visit handelandhaydn.org.