Handel’s Messiah at First Presbyterian Church of Hudson, New York

River Valley Baroque, a new concert presenting organization in Hudson, New York, offers its first production, an extraordinary collaboration by Montreal's critically acclaimed Baroque Orchestra L'Harmonie des saisons, and the spectacular Burlington Baroque Festival Singers.

In presenting Handel's Oratorio Messiah, River Valley Baroque establishes as a new cultural contributor to the region. The L'Harmonie des saisons ensemble has been the recipient of two Juno Awards (Canada's Grammy Award) for classical CD of the year, in 2016 and 2022, as well as two Opus Prizes for best classical CDs of the year (Quebec). Their international renown has seen its members presented at major festivals in Europe, Asia, South America and across North America in their frequent tours, and in their own resident series in Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal.

The ensemble is comprised of artists of international distinction who perform exclusively on period baroque instruments, making this presentation of Messiah an unprecedented opportunity to experience the monumental work as the composer intended it.

The Burlington Baroque Festival Singers have presented twelve sold-out performances of baroque masterworks since their founding for the First Annual Burlington Baroque Festival in 2023. Works presented by the vocal ensemble have included Bach's St. John Passion, Bach's Magnificat, Handel's Ode to St. Cecilia, Purcell's Welcome to All the Pleasures, Charpentier's Te Deum and Magnificat, and Monteverdi's Vespers. The performance in Hudson will represent the beginning of their touring outside the Burlington region.

The performance of Messiah will feature four extraordinary vocal soloists of international renown:

• Len Torrie, soprano (Montreal)
• Nicholas Burns, countertenor (Vancouver)
• Philippe Gagné, tenor (Quebec City)
• William Kraushaar, bass (Montreal)

The baroque orchestra, festival chorus and soloists are all directed by Juno Award-winning conductor and recording producer Eric Milnes.

"Messiah directed by Eric Milnes was one of the first this Christmas Season, with many others to come. But so vibrant was the singing and playing that all other Messiahs this year could seem anticlimactic." John Rockwell, The New York Times

River Valley Baroque is delighted to offer this extraordinary and unprecedented musical event to the region, a perfect complement to the spirit of the Holiday celebrations that infuses Hudson's Warren Street during the season.

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