The opening concert of the baroque music festival, entitled ‘Jerusalem, Holy City’, will take place on 28 January at 7.00 pm at the Estonia Concert Hall. A musical homage to the holy city, it will feature eponymous works by eight composers. The opening concert will feature a mixed choir with the Latvian and Estonian State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andres Mustonen. Next to Monteverdi’s and Delalande’s “Lauda Jerusalem” also pieces with the same topic composed in the 20th century by Pendereck and Uibo will be performed.

The festival’s guests also include the baroque ensemble La Fenice from France with the soprano Claire Lefilliâtre, who will perform at the House of Blackheads. La Fenice is passionate about the luxurious music of the 17th century Venice, so pieces by Italian composers will be performed in Tallinn.

The prestigious vocal group Die Singphoniker  from Germany that has been performing since 25 years will present a programme “…just songs!” on stage of Estonia Concert Hall including music from renaissance to jazz by Josquin Desprez, Orlano di Lasso, John Dowland as well as by Sting.

Natalia Gutman (cello, Russia) and Joel Frederiksen (bass and lute, Germany) will give solo concerts. Traditionally there will be a concert of the Estonian ensemble “Hortus Musicus” involving both current and previous members, this time in cooperation with Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. The concert features motets by Michael Praetorius for 4–16 voices from the  “Musae Sioniae” collection.

The final chord of the festival will be struck by the gala concert ‘Bach and Sons’, featuring players from the Tallinn Philharmonic and many soloists from Estonia and abroad, among others Patrick Demenga (cello, Switzerland),  Paolo Pollastri (oboe, Italy), Claudi Arimany (flute, Spain).
Within the festival there are ten concerts in Tallinn, Tartu and Jõhvi.
The artistic director of the festival is Andres Mustonen, main organiser Eesti Kontsert. The festival will take place in cooperation with the Estonian State Symphony Orchestra, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Tallinn Philharmonic.
The Baroque Music Festival is part of the programme of the European Capital of Culture Tallinn 2011, it is being supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment and French Cultural Centre.
 
http://www.concert.ee/barokkmuusika_festival_2011