Les Voix Baroques Performs in Music at Sharon

Montreal's Lex Voix Baroques are becoming Canada's most well-established ensemble specializing in vocal works from the Renaissance and Baroque. The group performs in formats ranging from traditional concerts to fully staged operatic productions. They are busy with recordings and performances, and will perform just north of Toronto July 4th at the Music at Sharon festival.

Two excellent reviews for the Carissimi Oratorios in today’s Globe (national) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/cd-mini-reviews/article1501363/

and Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/article/780292--carissimi-oratorios-les-voix-baroques

CLASSICAL

Giacomo Carissimi: Oratorios (Jephte, Jonas, Ezechia, Job)

Les Voix Baroques

Alexander Weimann, musical director

ATMA Classique

The members of Les Voix Baroques – including countertenor Matthew White, sopranos Suzie LeBlanc and Catherine Webster, tenor Colin Balzer, and baritone Tyler Duncan – are among this country’s best early-music singers, and the vocal solos of the four mid-17th century Latin oratorios recorded here are exquisitely sung. But the choruses, particularly the laments at the emotional core of Carissimi’s subtly dramatic settings of Old Testament stories, are finer still. Harmonic progressions open like flowers in slow-motion photography; pungent dissonances, perfectly tuned, arch and resolve. One also relishes the delicacy of instrumental entries and an elegant continuity within each piece.

Elissa Poole

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TORONTO STAR, March 16, 2010

By John Terauds

Carissimi Oratorios: Les Voix Baroques

(ATMA) (out of four)

Many of his scores have been lost, so it’s hard to tell that Roman Giacomo Carissimi was one of the most celebrated composers of his day (1605-1674). But thanks to brilliant recordings such as this one by Montreal’s Les voix baroques, led by countertenor Matthew White and conductor Alexander Weimann, that is likely to change. Here are four oratorio-like “sacred stories” (Jonas, Jephte, Ezechia and Job) gorgeously played and sung. The music is expertly matched to the Old Testament texts’ drama, and sensitively sung by singers including soprano Suzie LeBlanc and tenor Lawrence Wiliford. The booklet includes the texts.

July 4 – Les Voix Baroques: Montreal’s Les Voix Baroques will sing Latin oratorios by Baroque composers Giacomo Crissimi and Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Artistic Director and countertenor Matthew White, will perform with soprano Shannon Mercer and harpsichordist Alex Weimann. Again, the acoustics of the temple will be used to the fullest.

Directions to 18974 Leslie Street, Sharon, Ontario: Take Highway 404 north to its end. Turn left (west) on Green Lane for 1 km. Turn right (north) on Leslie for 2 km. The Sharon Temple is on the west side. There is ample free parking.

General admission tickets: 416 872 4255, or online at www.roythomson.com. $45-$35 or $165 for a 5-concert subscription.

For more information on Music at Sharon: http://www.sharontemple.ca/Programs/Music-at-Sharon.php