Union will again host a holiday concert by the celebrated Boston Camerata on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. in Memorial Chapel. Described by the Times Union as having a “graceful presence (that) seemed just short of religious rapture,” the group is lead by director and mezzo soprano Anne Azéma.
The program, “An American Christmas,” includes a wide range of Christmas-related songs, from familiar carols and New England anthems to rarely presented texts from the American Republic’s early years. During the show, the audience will be invited to sing along and join in the spirit of the holiday season.
The Boston Camerata, founded in 1954, was associated for twenty years with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Camerata then began touring extensively in the U.S. and internationally, specializing in performances of European and American music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras. The ensemble has appeared in such prominent venues as Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian Institute, London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Paris’ Cité de la Musique and Barcelona’s Palau de la Musicá. Camerata has recently participated in early music festivals at Berkeley and San Antonio, as well as appearing multiple times at the renowned Tanglewood festival.
French vocalist, scholar and director Anne Azéma became Camerata's artistic director in 2008, replacing Joel Cohen after his remarkable 40-year tenure. A long time associate of Camerata, Azéma is a globally acclaimed singer, especially noted for her vibrant interpretation of songs and texts of the Middle Ages. She is also the co-founder of the Camerata Mediterranea, the director of the European based ensemble, AZIMAN, and a teacher at several conservatories and universities around the world. Just this past September, Azéma was named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government.
During the show, Azéma will direct and perform with an exceptionally talented group of artists including Jane Sheldon, soprano; Deborah Rentz-Moore, contralto; Dan Hershey, tenor; Donald Wilkinson, baritone; Joel Frederiksen, bass, guitar; Jesse Lepkoff, flutes, recorder, guitar; Joel Cohen, reader, baritone, guitar; and Benjamin Powell, violin.
The concert is free to members of the Union community. General admission costs $25, though area students may attend for $10. For additional information and a complete list of this season's performances, click here.