Czech Ensemble Baroque opens the 13th season of its "Bacha na Mozarta!” subscription series in Brno. The dramatic highlight of the season will be the performance of Antonio Vivaldi's only surviving oratorio, Judith Triumphans, with mezzo-soprano Dagmar Šašková and Swedish singing star Malena Ernman in the lead roles. Eight more subscription concerts will follow.
Czech Ensemble Baroque is heading towards the 13th season of its early music cycle in Brno. The dramaturgy again combines the works of nearly forgotten and rediscovered composers with the most famous masters of the Baroque and classical eras. Listeners can attend popular concerts of early music in the Besední dům, and spiritual works in the Church of St John, the church with the best acoustics in Brno. The opening concert is announced for 14 September at the Besední dům.
The opening of the new season of Bacha na Mozarta! with conductor Roman Válek promises a concert that will be the dramaturgical highlight of this year's programme - Antonio Vivaldi's dramatic oratorio Judith Triumphans, a very popular work, but one still largely overlooked in the Czech Republic. The oratorio, based on a text by Giacomo Cassetti from 1716, is written for five soloists, orchestra and choir. The female cast performing the title roles will be unique. The main role of Judith will be played by Dagmar Šašková, a contemporary Czech mezzo-soprano star of the Baroque music scene, who performs as a soloist with the ensembles of the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles and Le Poème Harmonique. The role of the Assyrian general Holofernes will be performed by a Swedish opera star, mezzo-soprano Malena Ernman, who is not only active in the field of classical music, but also has a close affinity with chanson, pop and rock. She has performed on a number of eminent stages - such as the Opera Paris, Staatsoper Berlin, and Theater an der Wien.
Eight beautiful concerts of spiritual and secular music will follow: "The second concert in September will be a concert of madrigals by Alessandro Scarlatti and Antonio Lotti. Both masters are known in completely different areas of their work, but our programme will present them as the successors of the greatest masters in the history of the madrigal - Monteverdi and Gesualdo." The programme of the CEB Vocal Quintet is presented by its artistic director Tereza Válková.
This will be followed by a programme of Klingende und Singende Geographie, made up mainly of dance suites by G. P. Telemann, while November will bring a purely vocal concert, Jauchzet dem Herrn, which will feature Psalm 100, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands”, as set to music by composers of different nationalities and eras. The cycle will then celebrate Christmas in the traditional Czech way, with the music of Jakub Jan Ryba.
The year 2025 will be welcomed in by the Wassermusik cycle by G. P. Telemann. "The psalm Dixit Dominus was written by the young Handel, then only twenty-two years old, to be performed at the great Roman Vespers, during his stay in Italy. His music is youthful, sparkling and yet already deeply mature,” says Roman Válek, describing the March concert. Lent will be marked by the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, to mark the 340th anniversary of his birth. The series will conclude with a choral concert on 15 May. Listeners will hear a selection of 34 motets for choir and continuo by Georg Phlipp Telemann.
BACHA NA MOZARTA! (BACH TO MOZART!)
Czech Ensemble Baroque & Roman Válek
13th season Brno
2024– 2025.
SCARLATTI & LOTTI: MADRIGALI
Saturday, 21 September 2024| 7:00 p.m. | Besední dům
PROGRAMME A. Scarlatti: Madrigali and 5 voci (selection), A. Lotti: Duetti, Terzetti and Madrigali a piú voci (selection)
PERFORMED BY Ensemble Baroque Quintet
Two followers of the greatest masters in the history of madrigals - Monteverdi and Gesualdo - with their unique yet almost unknown madrigals.
KLINGENDE UND SINGENDE GEOGRAPHIE
Monday, 28 October 2024| 7:00 p.m. | Besední dům
PROGRAMME G. P. Telemann: Selection of dance suites, Arcadelt, Schütz, Monteverdi, Lasso, etc.: Madrigali
SOLI Michaela Koudelková, Andrea Stračinová, etc.
A programme that takes you on a tour through many countries of Europe, all the way to America. Each piece wittily captures the typical musical traits of that nation.
JAUCHZET DEM HERRN
Thursday, 28 November 2024| 7:00 p.m. | Church of St John
PROGRAMME G. Gabrielli, H. Schütz, J. S. Bach, B. Britten, F. Mendelssohn: Jauchzet dem Herrn/Jubilate Deo
CHOIRMASTER Tereza Válková
Psalm 100, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands”, as set to music by composers of different nationalities and eras, performed by the CEB choir.
RYBA: CANTATE DOMINO
Wednesday, 18 December 2024 | 7:00 p.m. | Besední dům
PROGRAMME J. J. Ryba: Cantate Domino, Six Christmas Songs, Czech Christmas Mass "Hey, Master!"
The most famous Czech Christmas Mass accompanied by lesser-known works by Jakub Jan Ryba to close the Year of Czech Music.
WASSERERMUSIK
Thursday, 20 February 2025 | 7:00 p.m. | Besední dům
PROGRAMME G. P. Telemann: Die Wassermusik TWV 55:C3 "Hamburger Ebb' und Fluth"
This famous overture in C major was performed in 1723 to celebrate the centenary of the Hamburg Admiralty.
HANDEL: DIXIT DOMINUS
Wednesday, 12 March 2025 | 7:00 p.m. | Besední dům
PROGRAMME H. Purcell: Anthem for the Coronation "I Was Glad" A. Corelli: Concerto grosso in D major, Op. 6, No. 4, G. F. Handel: Dixit Dominus, HWV 232
A virtuoso psalm by Handel from his "Italian" period written when he was just 22 years old, accompanied by works by his musical role models - Purcell and Corelli
J. S. BACH: ST MARK PASSION
Monday, 14 April 2025| 7:00 p.m. | Church of St John
PROGRAMME J. S. Bach: St Mark Passion, BWV 247
Unfortunately, the original version of the Passion, which was sung in 1731, has not survived. The eminent musicologist Dr Simon Heighes wrote what is probably the most successful reconstruction of the work.
TELEMANN: MOTETA
Thursday, 15 May 2025| 7:00 p.m. | Church of St John
PROGRAMME G. P. Telemann: Der Herr ist König, Selig sind die Toten, Das ist meine Freude, Halt, was du hast, etc.
Telemann's choral music is performed less often than his instrumental music, yet it is just as fine and beautiful. We present a selection of 34 motets for choir and continuo.
CEB/ photo from the ensemble’s archive
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