NEWS

The 2018 Season is launched!


“Royal Concerts” is the theme of the Festival presented in Lamèque, July 26 to 28, 2018

 Lamèque, N. B., Thursday, April 12, 2018:   The 2018 season of the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival will present six concerts and a pre-festival musical happy hour.  Vincent Lauzer, the artistic director of the Festival, unveiled the details of the 2018 program this morning. Full details are available on the Festival website: www.festivalbaroque.com .

 "ROYAL CONCERTS"
The 2018 Festival will feature baroque music written for queens, performed at the court of kings or written by composers now considered the greatest masters of baroque music. The public is invited to live an unforgettable experience, to dive into the atmosphere that was found among the noble leaders of the Baroque period. For its 43rd season, the Festival will welcome some fifty artists from across Canada, the United States and France. The Mission Saint-Charles Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Pierre Lavoie, will also be part of the celebration for a 33rd year.

THREE MAJOR EVENING EVENTS
Each evening of the Festival will have a special flavour and explore the work of one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period.

“Royal Concerts”
Thursday, July 26, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
Sainte-Cécile Church, in Petite-Rivière-de-l'Île

The Festival's first major concert pays tribute to François Couperin, whose 350th birthday is celebrated in 2018. The "Royal Concerts,” performed here on the flute, oboe, violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord, were played at the court of Louis XIV. The public is invited to experience a chamber music concert worthy of those presented at the court of the Sun King with an instrumental quintet conducted by Luc Beauséjour. 

“The organ according to the great Händel”
Friday, July 27, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
Saint-Jérôme Church, in Shippagan

The beautiful pipe organ of the Shippagan church will resonate to the sound of Georg Friedrich Händel's works. Vincent Lauzer highlighted the special character of this evening as the Festival presents a concert on the newly renovated organ.  The seven musicians of the Mission Saint-Charles Orchestra will accompany organist Luc Beauséjour, who will perform Händel's organ concertos.

“Ode to Purcell”
Saturday, July 28, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
Sainte-Cécile Church, in Petite-Rivière-de-l'Île

The Mission Saint-Charles Choir and Orchestra dedicate this evening to Henry Purcell, the famous English Baroque composer, with the presentation of "Hail, Bright Cecilia,” an ode to St. Cecilia and "Come, ye Sons of Art,” a piece composed for Queen Mary. Five solo singers and some 40 artists will be under the direction of Toronto conductor Ivars Taurins. Vincent Lauzer noted that the Festival was very proud to welcome back to the Festival this talented conductor who had given us a memorable performance of the Messiah in 2015.

A FREE CONCERT FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES…AND PEOPLE OF ALL AGES!

 “Lute, Friend of Kings”
Thursday, July 26, 2018, 2 p.m.
Notre-Dame-des-Flots Church, in Lamèque

The Festival will present a free concert, designed for young audiences. A Jeunesses Musicales Canada presentation, this recital features the lute, a refined and delicate instrument worth discovering.  The artistic director of the Festival invited young people of all ages to sing canons heard at the French court, decode timeless scores unearthed in Elizabeth I of England’s castle, and discover some of Christian IV of Denmark’s favourite music in the company of lutenist Madeleine Owen.

TWO CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERTS
These events, presented during the day and featuring emerging artists, allow the discovery of written repertoire for small instrumental ensembles.

“Bach’s Intimate Masterpieces”
Friday, July 27, 2018, 3 p.m.
Sainte-Cécile Church, in Petite-Rivière-de-l'Île

This concert celebrates chamber music works written by Johann Sebastian Bach, now considered to be the most important composer of the Baroque period. The program includes sonatas for violin and viola da gamba with obbligato harpsichord, excerpts from the very famous suites for solo cello as well as arrangements of trio sonatas originally dedicated to the organ.

“Up in the Morning Early”
Saturday, July 28, 2018, 11 a.m.
Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Church, in Miscou

The Festival is back this year at Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Church, a place with exceptional acoustics and an intimate atmosphere allowing a privileged encounter between musicians and music lovers. The Montreal ensemble La Cigale will present a program of Celtic baroque music. This is a great opportunity to discover the work of lesser-known composers such as William McGibbon, James Oswald and Turlough O'Carolan.

PRE-FESTIVAL EVENT
In addition to these six concerts, the Festival will present, on Wednesday, July 25, at 5 p.m., a musical happy hour at the Notre-Dame-des-Flots Church in Lamèque. This event will be an opportunity to hear soprano Myriam Leblanc, winner of the 2017 Mathieu Duguay Early Music Competition, and lutenist Sylvain Bergeron in a recital of baroque works and surprising excursions into romantic music and popular songs.

 "In addition to all these events, we still plan to be able to present flash concerts and various small performances to bring baroque music throughout the Lamèque region during the Festival week," said the artistic director.

VISUAL SIGNATURE CREATED BY ARTIST SUZANNE ALBERT
In addition, the Chairman of the Festival Board of Directors, Jean-René Noël, was pleased to present the visual signature of the 2018 season. It is "Le couronnement", a work by Acadian artist Suzanne Albert. This work, used as a visual signature, is part of a series of six works entitled "Baroque on the Edge" inspired by Purcell's music presented during the Festival's closing concert.

The paintings were made in accordance with the impressions felt when listening to the Baroque works, the series thus relating, in a visual language, a meeting between painting and music. Works are on sale and details are published on the Festival website.

The 43rd season of the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival will take place from July 26 to 28, 2018. For all the details about the program, visit www.festivalbaroque.com . Tickets go on sale Friday, April 13, 2018, at 9 a.m.