The break from the Roman church in 1517 – the Protestant Reformation – did not wholesale discard traditions that had evolved over the centuries. The vespers service is one of these. Five decades before Mozart, Bach was appointed cantor for the Lutheran church of Saint Thomas, Leipzig. At Saint Thomas, the tradition for vespers was that the Magnificat was sung in German on ordinary Sundays, Latin on special feast days. For his first Leipzig Christmas – one of the feast days – Bach composed this large-scale setting of the Magnificat. The text is interpolated over 12 movements, expanded by four interspersed chorales in German and Latin, one of which is the Gloria in excelsis. In a 1733 revision, the four “Christmas” chorales were removed, thus allowing the canticle to be sung for any festive service.

​

December 5, 2022

The life of Julie d’Aubigny (ca. 1670-1707), gender nonconformist, duelist, opera star, muse, outlaw and legend, who lived for adventure and died for love.

An original full-length chamber opera in baroque, folk, blues, and rock styles. Sung in English and French. Two performances in December 2021, live in Richmond, Virginia, and live-streamed worldwide by subscription.

​

December 3 & 5