The JUNO award-winning Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) presents the first concert of its 22nd season, Magnificat, on Saturday, December 2, 2023, 8:00 p.m., at St. Matthew’s Church, 130 Glebe Avenue, in Ottawa. The concert features settings of the Magnificat, including the original setting by Johann Sebastian Bach, composed for his first Christmas in Leipzig in 1723, as well as settings by Jan Dismas Zelenka and Heinrich Biber, both originally from the Czech Republic, and the Italian Isabella Leonarda, Also included is the virtuosic cantata for solo soprano and trumpet by Bach, Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, BWV 51. The Theatre of Early Music baroque orchestra joins the choir, along with guest soloists, soprano Myriam Leblanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Owen McCausland, and bass Alex Dobson.
“We are thrilled to open our 22nd season with an array of spectacular and rarely heard settings of the Magnificat, culminating in the original music Bach composed as Thomaskantor in Leipzig in 1723, along with virtuosic music for solo soprano and trumpet,” says Founder and Artistic Director, Lisette Canton. “Come share our passion as we celebrate this festive season with magnificent works from the Baroque period with some of today’s leading musicians in this style—you won’t want to miss it!”
The Ottawa Bach Choir, founded in 2002 by Dr. Lisette Canton, offers audiences a wide range of choral music of the finest quality, performing music from all historical periods while keeping Bach’s choral oeuvre as the focus of its repertoire. With the combination of a scholarly and emotional approach, the OBC provides an unforgettable experience of choral music at its best. The OBC won the 2020 JUNO Award for its album, Handel: Dixit Dominus; Bach & Schütz: Motets, in the category Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral, and returned from the prestigious international festival, Bachfest Leipzig, in June 2022. The OBC has toured extensively in Canada, Europe, the United States and China, and had the honour of being the first Canadian choir ever to be among the performers in Bachfest Leipzig 2014. The choir’s eighth album, Johann Sebastian Bach: Six Motets, on the ATMA Classique label, “one of the finest on record” (The WholeNote), is available on all streaming platforms as well as on the choir’s website.
For interviews and information, please contact:
Elena Goubanova, Administrative Manager, elena.goubanova@ottawabachchoir.ca
Dr. Lisette Canton, Founder and Artistic Director, lisette.canton@ottawabachchoir.ca
Listing information:
Ottawa Bach Choir
with Theatre of Early Music baroque orchestra; Daniel Taylor, artistic director
Guest soloists: soprano Myriam Leblanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Owen McCausland, and bass Alex Dobson
Lisette Canton, conductor
Magnificat
Saturday, December 2, 2023, 8:00 p.m.
St. Matthew’s Church, 130 Glebe Avenue, Ottawa
Tickets: Reserved $55, Adult $45, Senior $40, Student $20, Children 12 and under free
Tickets are available online: www.ottawabachchoir.ca
Information: info@ottawabachchoir.ca
