Eckart Preu, Conductor
Elissa Johnston, Soprano
Kevin Deas, Baritone
Long Beach Camerata Singers, Chorus
Brahms Requiem
Mar 09, 2024 8:00 PM
| Connesson | Cosmic Trilogy (Aleph) |
| Vaughan Williams | Serenade to Music |
| Brahms | Requiem |
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Enjoy the digital program book with program notes
Enjoy this FREE special Event with Dr. James Bass and the Long Beach Camerata Singers **March 6th**:
On Saturday, March 9th, 2024, we will celebrate Spring with the music of Guillaume Connesson, Vaughan Williams, and Johannes Brahms, featuring solo performances by Elissa Johnston, Kevin Deas, and the powerful choral talents of the Long Beach Camerata Singers.
The evening begins with living French composer Guillaume Connesson’s “Cosmic Trilogy” (2010) as it rejoices in the vastness of the universe, its mysteries, and gorgeously illustrates the journey of life through the birth, radiance, and death of a star. Disparate influences of Indian raga and John Adams-esque modernism combine to convey the universal impact of time passing and how moments of the past and future come together to define the present.
Inspired by lovers gazing at the stars in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Serenade to Music” captures the wonder of the night sky and its unfathomable mysteries. The magic of the universe looking back upon itself is highlighted by the sweeping, lush orchestral arrangement. Come see why “Serenade to Music” reportedly brought audience member Sergei Rachmaninov to tears.
The evening closes with Johannes Brahms’ “A German Requiem,” a mournful meditation on death and redemption. Brahms’s poignant musical prayer (composed between 1865 and 1868) offers comfort and grace in the face of grief and commemoration of life. “A German Requiem” reflects the painful losses Brahms experienced in his own life, composed after the passing of both his adored mother and his mentor, Robert Schumann. Baritone Kevin Deas and Soprano Elissa Johnston join the Long Beach Camerata Singers in an evening celebrating the mysteries of life, death, and humanity’s place in the infinite universe.
In Maestro Eckart Preu’s own words
Audiences will enjoy the Classical Series fun and elegant evening surrounded by the Terrace’s dazzling fountains and fire pits, live ensemble in the lobby, 7PM Pre-Concert Talk to gain greater knowledge regarding the evening programming, and the ability to “Sip & Enjoy” in the concert hall.
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Eckart Preu, Conductor
Eckart Preu (Eck-art Proy) began his tenure as Music Director of Long Beach Symphony in 2017. Critics, the orchestra, and audiences alike have celebrated his ability to combine well-loved masterworks with rare or newer works in programs offering dimension, sophistication, and spirit. Preu also currently serves as …
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Elissa Johnston, Soprano
Recently cited by the New York Times for her “especially lovely” singing, Elissa Johnston enjoys diving into repertoire ranging from Bach, Handel and Mozart to Messiaen, Carter and Reich. Elissa appears this season with the National Symphony of Costa Rica singing Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne, with Albany …
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Kevin Deas, Baritone
Kevin Deas has gained international renown as one of America’s leading bass-baritones. He is perhaps most acclaimed for his signature portrayal of the title role in Porgy and Bess, having performed it with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, …
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Long Beach Camerata Singers, Chorus
Long Beach Camerata Singers was founded in 1966 by Frank Allen as the Vocal Arts Ensemble and served as the resident chorus for the Long Beach Bach Festival, which he founded in 1975. In 1983, Dr. David Wilson, a professor of choral music at USC, …
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