A full weekend of concerts in Memorial Chapel will help usher in the holiday season. On Saturday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m., the Octavo Singers, under the direction of George Moross, return for their annual performance of Handel's Messiah.
For ticket information, call (518) 344-SING (7464).
In their only appearance outside of the greater Boston area, the Boston Camerata presents their 2007 production of “A Renaissance Christmas” Sunday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. at Memorial Chapel. The production, from Music Director Joel Cohen, was the first Camerata program to draw large audiences and national attention when it made its debut 36 years ago.
Under the direction of French soprano and Camerata guest director, Anne Azéma, this rich program employs works by Dufay, Josquin, Byrd, Praetorius and many other composers of France, Spain, Italy, England and Germany in addition to rare Christmas music from the church and countryside of Renaissance Europe circa 1470 to 1620.
The 2007 production introduces newcomer Lydia Brotherton, soprano, who joins Camerata regulars Michael Collver, countertenor; Timothy Leigh Evans, tenor; Daniel Hershey, tenor, and Donald Wilkinson, baritone; as well as instrumentalists Carol Lewis, vielle and viol; Steve Lundahl, recorders and sackbut, and Karen Walthinsen, vielle and violin.
The concert is free for the Union College community; $25 for general admission and $10 for area students. For tickets, call (518) 388-6080; for more information on the Concert Series, call (518) 372-3651 or visit http://www.union.edu/ConcertSeries.