NEWS

Launch of the 2017 Season


Launch of the 2017 Season

A Festival "close to its roots" presented in Lamèque, July 27 – 29, 2017

Lamèque, N. B., Thursday, April 6, 2017: The 2017 season of the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival will feature six concerts and a conference that promise to impress. Vincent Lauzer, artistic director of the Festival, unveiled this morning the details of the 2017 program. All details are available at www.festivalbaroque.com.

"Close to our roots"

According to the artistic director, this year's Festival will be "close to its roots" with the presence of several Acadian artists, including soprano Pascale Beaudin and composer Frédéric Chiasson, as well as the participation of the Mission Saint-Charles Choir for a 32nd year. The Festival will travel to several venues and will present concerts in the churches of Petite-Rivière-de-l'Île, Lamèque and Miscou. "I am also pleased to announce a partnership with Ensemble Caprice, a Montreal-based baroque orchestra, which will be presenting two major concerts at the Festival," said Lauzer.

Return of the Mathieu Duguay Early Music Competition

The summer of 2017 will mark the return of the Mathieu Duguay Early Music Competition. Three finalists were chosen to participate in the third edition of the Competition. They are: Myriam Leblanc, soprano, Antoine Malette-Chénier, harpist, and Catherine St-Arnaud, soprano. The competition, now presented in two rounds, both open to the public, will allow these three emerging musicians to be heard in recital and in concert with the Mission Saint-Charles Orchestra. More than $ 6,000 in prizes will be awarded to the finalists and the public will be invited to vote for their favourite finalist.

First round: Recital of finalists
Thursday, July 27, 2017, at 2 p.m., Notre-Dame-des-Flots Church, Lamèque

For this first round, each finalist will present a short recital for instrument or voice solo and basso continuo: a golden opportunity to discover young talents as part of an intimate concert. The young finalists will play with two experienced musicians and long-time friends of the Festival, harpsichordist Hank Knox and cellist Amanda Keesmaat.

Second round: Concert with the Mission Saint-Charles Orchestra
Friday, July 28, 2017, at 7:30 p.m., Sainte-Cécile Church, Petite-Rivière-de-l'Île

During this concert, the three finalists will showcase their talent and mastery with their interpretation of their chosen concerto or vocal selection with baroque orchestra. They will be accompanied by the Mission Saint-Charles Orchestra, under the direction of Hank Knox. The competition prizes will be awarded at the end of the evening, which promises to be filled with emotion.

Two great concerts with Ensemble Caprice

"Partons la mer est belle"
Thursday, July 27, 2017, at 7:30 p.m., Sainte-Cécile Church, Petite-Rivière-de-l'Île

This concert celebrates the sea through which the discoverers of Canada arrived and who, even today, is an integral part of life in Acadia. Soprano Pascale Beaudin and Ensemble Caprice, an orchestra of 14 musicians under the direction of Matthias Maute, will present music inspired by the sea and opera arias with a maritime flavour. This concert will also feature the world premiere of composer Frédéric Chiasson's arrangements of Acadian folk songs for soprano and baroque orchestra.

Monteverdi's Vespers for the Blessed Virgin
Saturday, July 29, 2017, at 7:30 p.m., Sainte-Cécile Church, Petite-Rivière-de-l'Île

The Vespers for the Blessed Virgin is, undoubtedly, one of the most important choral works in the history of music. Claudio Monteverdi's music draws inspiration from the practices of the Renaissance, but also uses musical language that was definitely new at the time. Eight soloist singers, the Mission Saint-Charles Choir and the orchestra Ensemble Caprice will bring to life this complex and impressive work, offering a concert filled with rich and varied colours.

Two Intimate Concerts at Miscou Church

The Festival will present two intimate concerts at the Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Church in Miscou. "The intimate venue chosen for these events will allow special encounters between the artists and the public," said Vincent Lauzer.

The enchanting viola d'amore
Friday, July 28, 2017, at 3 p.m., Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Church, Miscou

This intimate event will provide the public with an opportunity to discover the charm of the viola d'amore. Jennifer Thiessen, accompanied by harpsichordist Mélisande McNabney, will demonstrate the versatility of this unknown instrument in a program spanning various styles and eras.

Scarlatti and friends
Saturday, July 29, 2017, at 11 a.m., Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Church, Miscou

During the baroque period, the harpsichord was king! Many composers devoted much of their work to it, most notably Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti, who wrote 555 sonatas for the instrument. In this concert, harpsichordist Hank Knox explores the work of Scarlatti and his contemporaries.

In addition to these six concerts, the Festival will present a conference entitled "Monteverdi's Vespers" on Saturday, July 29, 2017, at 3 p.m. This is a must-see event where you will learn more about this important work of the Baroque era, as well as its artistic challenges from both the orchestral and choral perspective. You will also discover the cornetto and the sackbut, two fascinating and rare instruments.

"Furthermore, we are still planning to present mini-concerts and small performances to bring Baroque music throughout the Lamèque region during the Festival week," said the artistic director.

Visual signature created by artist Luc A. Charette

Jean-René Noël, Chair of the Festival's Board of Directors, was pleased to present the visual signature of the 2017 season. It is a work by Acadian artist Luc A. Charette, originally from Edmundston. The work used as the visual signature is part of a series of four paintings on books with rigid cover. Called "Beata Virgines," the starting point of the series was inspired to the artist after listening to Monteverdi's Vespers. The paintings were created in accordance with the impressions felt by the artist when he was listening to this piece. The works are on sale and all details are available the Festival's website.

The 42nd Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival will be presented from July 27 – 29, 2017. Details of the program are available on the Website at www.festivalbaroque.com and tickets will be on sale starting April 18, 2017, at 11 a.m.