Thu 3/23 @ 7:30PM
Fri 3/24 @ 8PM
Sat 3/25 @ 8PM
Sun 3/26 @ 4PM
Apollo’s Fire, Cleveland’s Baroque Orchestra, goes back to familiar well for their next series of shows: the music of J.S. Bach, which they always manage to make sound fresh.
Sacred Bach: A Spiritual Journey keeps in mind that Bach said the purpose of music is for “the glory of God and the refreshment of the spirit.” And it features a new face on the podium: guest conductor Joseph Gascho, a harpsichordist who is a rising star in the baroque music world. He’s an assistant professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and teaches and conducts the student orchestra at Oberlin Conservatory’s summer Baroque Performance Institute. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and recently released his first recording.
He’ll lead the Apollo’s Fire Orchestra and Apollo’s singers in performances of Bach’s Cantatas No. 17 & 102, Motet BWV 230 Lobet den Herrn and Mass in G Major. Solo performers include sopranos Molly Netter and Madeline Apple Healey, countertenor Daniel Moody, tenors Brian Giebler and Jacob Perry and baritone David McFerrin.
They’ll perform Thursday at Fairlawn Lutheran Church in Akron, Friday and Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, and Sunday at Rocky River Presbyterian Church. Oboist Debra Nagy will give the pre-concert talk an hour before each performance, where she’ll talk about how Bach borrowed from his own cantatas for his Latin church music and analyze several of the arias in the cantatas on the program.
Apollo’s Fire’s latest record, just out, also delves into how Bach praised God in his music. It features last year’s performance of his St. John Passion at Trinity Cathedral. Apollo’s Fire’s founder and music director Jeannette Sorrell conducts the orchestra, with soloists tenor Nicholas Phan as the Evangelist, baritone Jesse Blumberg as Jesus and baritone Jeffrey Strauss as Pilate, along with soprano Amanda Forsythe, countertenor Terry and baritone Christian Immler.
Watch video highlights at AF’s website and order the album here.
Tickets are $12-$72.