Alexander's Feast–Or, The Power of Music
May
17
6:00 PM18:00
Season Program

Alexander's Feast–Or, The Power of Music

  • Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Our 2014/15 season finale provides abundant vocal and instrumental fireworks, withAlexander’s Feast—Or, The Power of Music by G.F. Handel, produced in collaboration with the Bach Society Houston. This remarkable musical tale relates how the rapturous song of a musician named Timotheus aroused and moved Alexander the Great. Ars Lyrica is proud to present this rarely heard oratorio, which makes for a formidable evening of music and story—an event you won’t want to miss! 

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Bach & Sons: At Court
Mar
28
7:30 PM19:30
Season Program

Bach & Sons: At Court

  • Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Ars Lyrica’s season-long tribute to the Bach family continues with an evening of concertos by Johann Sebastian, Carl Philipp Emanuel, and Johann Christian Bach. Baroque violinist extraordinaire Ingrid Matthews returns for this all-instrumental evening featuring Ars Lyrica’s core string players and harpsichordist/artistic director Matthew Dirst. 

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Love Letters
Feb
14
7:30 PM19:30
Season Program

Love Letters

  • Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Italians make everything sound romantic, especially in music! A swoon advisory is thus in effect for this performance featuring duets from Claudio Monteverdi and cantatas by Vivaldi and Scarlatti. Two rising stars of the opera world return to the Zilkha Hall stage for this special Valentine’s Day treat: countertenor John Holiday and mezzo-soprano Ellie Jarrett Shattles. This program is part of the third annual Houston Early Music Festival, which runs from February 13–15, 2015. 

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¡Felices Fiestas!
Dec
31
to Jan 1
Season Program

¡Felices Fiestas!

  • Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

On New Year’s Eve, we offer a festive evening of celebration and beautiful music featuring soprano Melissa Givens and mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte. Grammy nominee and plucked string expert Richard Savino curates this holiday-inspired program, which includes Spanish and Latin American Baroque classics that are sure to be magnificos. Our annual fundraising gala surrounds the Zilkha Hall program with cocktails and buffet-style dinner of Spanish fare before the concert plus champagne and dessert gala afterward in the Sarofim Hall Grand Lobby with calls of “¡Feliz Año Nuevo!” at midnight. Choose one of four Fiesta options: full evening, pre-concert dinner and concert, concert and post-concert champagne gala, or concert only. 

8:00 pm, Dinner
9:00 pm, Concert
10:30 pm, Gala

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Bach & Sons: At the Café
Nov
14
7:30 PM19:30
Season Program

Bach & Sons: At the Café

  • Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The first of a season-long tribute to the great Bach dynasty, this program includes a rarely performed ode by Carl Phillipp Emanuel Bach, his younger brother Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach’s cantata Die Amerikanerin, plus patriarch Johann Sebastian Bach’s beloved “Coffee Cantata.” Featuring soprano Lauren Snouffer, mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko, tenor Zachary Averyt, and baritone Mark Diamond. This program will also be given at Cornell University on October 3, 2014, as part of an international conference on the music of C. P. E. Bach. 

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Nov
12
7:30 PM19:30

Touring Concert- Bach & Sons: At the Café

  • First Presbyterian Church, Bryan (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

First Presbyterian Church, Bryan, will host a free performance of the touring concert, Bach & Sons: At the Café.

The first of a season-long tribute to the great Bach dynasty, this program includes a rarely performed ode by Carl Phillipp Emanuel Bach, his younger brother Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach’s cantata Die Amerikanerin, plus patriarch Johann Sebastian Bach’s beloved “Coffee Cantata.” Featuring soprano Lauren Snouffer, mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko, tenor Zachary Averyt, and baritone Mark Diamond.

Visit Friends of Chamber Music for more information.

Free

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Nov
11
7:00 PM19:00

Touring Concert - Bach & Sons: At the Café

Tuesday, November 11, 2014
7:00pm  9:00pm
Monte Blue Music Building, San Jacinto College, Pasadena 

San Jacinto College will host a free performance of the touring concert, Bach & Sons: At the Café.

The first of a season-long tribute to the great Bach dynasty, this program includes a rarely performed ode by Carl Phillipp Emanuel Bach, his younger brother Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach’s cantata Die Amerikanerin, plus patriarch Johann Sebastian Bach’s beloved “Coffee Cantata.” Featuring soprano Lauren Snouffer, mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko, tenor Zachary Averyt and baritone Mark Diamond.

Free

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Oct
3
7:00 PM19:00

“Sensation and Sensibility", Cornell University

Ars Lyrica Houston; Matthew Dirst, director, with soloists Dennis James on glass harmonica, soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbon, mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko, and organist Annette Richards, presents the Atkinson Forum Concert as part of this conference and festival: “Sensation and Sensibility at the Keyboard in the Late 18th Century: Celebrating C. P. E. Bach’s Tercentenary.”  Co-sponsored by the Westfield Center for Historical Keyboard Studies, Department of Music, Society for the Humanities, and the American Studies Program.  Includes C. P. E. Bach’s Symphony for 12 Obbligato Instruments and Organ Concerto, as well as J. C. F. Bach’s Die Amerikanerin and J. A. Hasse’s cantata for soprano and glass harmonica, L’Armonica.

For more information, visit Cornell University's Department of Music. 

Free

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Flying High
Sep
7
5:00 PM17:00
Season Program

Flying High

  • Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The 2014–2015 season opener is dedicated to the spirited and uplifting world of flight—from the natural world of the birds and the bees to the mythological figure Icarus, who soared too close to the sun. French and Italian Baroque chamber works animate this program, featuring French-Italian soprano Céline Ricci and viola da gambist Mary Springfels in G. F. Handel’s evocative Tra le fiamme. Ars Lyrica debuts with this program at the world-renowned Berkeley Early Music Festival on June 3, 2014.

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Aug
17
3:00 PM15:00

MFAH Gallery Concert "Aristocrats at Play: Music for the Viola da Gamba"

Members of Ars Lyrica Houston—including Barrett Sills and Jordan Witherspoon on viola da gamba and artistic director Matthew Dirst on harpsichord—explore this rich repertoire (with musical treats by John Jenkins, Carl Friedrich Abel, Marin Marais and others) in an informal program, with commentary on the pieces and the instruments. 

Presented by the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, in conjunction with the exhibition, Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House. 

For more information, visit mfah.org. 

This program is free with Museum admission. 

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