FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Erin Callanan, Callanan & Klein Communications erin@callananklein.com l 617.431.1171
HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY TO PERFORM Purcell The Fairy Queen
Friday, April 6, 2018
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Press performance is Friday, April 6 at 7:30 PM
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[Boston, MA – March XX, 2018] The Handel and Haydn Society continues its 2017-18 Season with two performances of Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen on Friday, April 6, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 8, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall. Conducted by Harry Christophers and narrated by Antonia Christophers, Purcell’s exquisite music is made vivid and colorful with ingenious dramatic effects and an entertaining script by Jeremy Sams, creator of the Metropolitan Opera’s The Enchanted Island. The result is a fresh-and-fun riff on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as seen through Queen Titania’s eyes.
“Purcell is a Harry Christophers’ specialty. He brings an inviting, light-hearted and delightfully entertaining touch to this semi-staged performance that is unmatched, creating a union between the conductor, the musicians, and the audience,” said H+H President and CEO David Snead. “After an incredible reception at Tanglewood this past summer, we are excited to share this performance with our audience in Boston.”
The Fairy Queen is one of Henry Purcell’s most impressive creations. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the opera pulls from the Purcell’s genius to blend mystery, love and mischief. The performance will be narrated by Antonia Christophers, a British actress whose performing credits include HBO’s Game of Thrones; the BBC drama The Hour; Buxton Opera House and UK tour of The Graduate; and many more.
The production features the renowned British baritone Matthew Brook and countertenor Robin Blaze in a number of comic roles taken from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Brook has been acclaimed for his performances around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Barbican, while Blaze is known for his numerous roles at the English National Opera. Purcell’s inventive, kaleidoscopic score includes additional roles performed by leading members of the H+H Chorus.
Tickets for the performances are on sale now. Tickets range from $25 – $102 and may be purchased by calling 617-266-3605, visiting handelandhaydn.org or in person at 9 Harcourt Street in Boston (M-F 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.). Student and group discounts are also available.
What: Handel and Haydn Society to Perform Purcell The Fairy Queen
When: Friday, April 6, 2018 7:30 PM
Sunday, April 8, 2018 3:00 PM
Where: NEC’s Jordan Hall 30 Gainsborough St, Boston, MA 02115
Who: Conducted by Harry Christophers
Narrated by Antonia Christophers,
Soloists include: Robin Blaze, Matthew Brook, Sarah Brailey, Margot Rood, Sonja DuToit Tengblad, Sarah Yanovitch, Jonas Budris, Brian Giebler, Stefan Reed, and Woodrow Bynum.
H+H’s 2017–18 Season: Remaining Performances
Bach Mass in B Minor March 23 + 25 Symphony Hall
Purcell The Fairy Queen April 6 + 8 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Handel Hercules May 4 + 6 Symphony Hall
About the Handel and Haydn Society
Internationally acclaimed for its performances of Baroque and Classical music, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners each year with a 10-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. Founded in Boston in 1815, H+H is the oldest continuously-performing arts organization in the United States, and is unique among American ensembles for its longevity, capacity for reinvention, and distinguished history of premieres. 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 more than 11,500 children each year through in-school music instruction and a Vocal Arts Program that includes six youth choruses.
In addition to its subscription series, tours, and broadcast performances, H+H reaches a worldwide audience through ambitious recordings including Mozart + Haydn (Vol. 1), Haydn (Vol. 1-3), the critically-acclaimed Haydn: The Creation, the best-selling Joy to the World: An American Christmas, and Handel Messiah, recorded live at Symphony Hall under Christophers’ direction.