Andreas Scholl conducts Bach cantatas in Brno Cathedral today

21 September 2022, 1:00
Andreas Scholl conducts Bach cantatas in Brno Cathedral today

For the first time in the Czech Republic, the world-famous countertenor Andreas Scholl will perform as a conductor. The acclaimed expert on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach will perform two Bach cantatas with the Czech Ensemble Baroque in Brno Cathedral this evening, opening the eleventh season of the “Bacha na Mozarta!” series.

The music series BACHA NA MOZART! started in 2012 with the ambition to bring the music of the 17th and 18th century classics closer to today’s audience in an attractive way. With the slogan “Early Music for a New Age”, it promises to be the largest early music cycle in Moravia, whose 11th season will take place from September 2022 to June 2023 in Brno Cathedral and Besední dům. It will offer 8 unique concerts. The first of them is the one tonight (21 September), which will take place from 19:00 in the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul.

“We have always ensured that all the concerts in our series, in addition to respecting tradition and the classical masters, also bring moments of discovery and surprise. It is the understanding and appreciation of the works of Baroque or Classical composers contemporary musicians that keeps the work alive and has something to say to today’s generation of listeners. It is a great privilege to enable the audience to hear Bach’s cantatas as Andreas Scholl perceives and feels them. The fact that Andreas has chosen our ensemble for his conducting debut in the Czech Republic is both a great joy and commitment,” said Roman Válek, chief conductor of the Czech Ensemble Baroque.

The audience will also be able to meet Andreas Scholl, this time as a singer, in an extraordinary concert of the cycle, which has the ambition to become the cultural event of 2023. In addition to Scholl, the Metropolitan Opera New York soloist Adam Plachetka, German countertenor Valer Sabadus, Spanish countertenor Carlos Mena, Polish tenor Krysan Adam, and renowned Czech singers Hana Blažíková and Dagmar Šašková will also perform.

Andreas Scholl/ photo Felsnerartist

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