Seattle Baroque Orchestra

Seattle Baroque Orchestra's
Annual Gala

Dinner, Auction and Recital
Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 6:00 p.m.
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Seattle Baroque Orchestra
Announces 2008/09 Season
Prominent Guest Artists to Lead Each of SBO’s Five Concerts

Stephen Stubbs, Cyndia Sieden
David Greenberg
Marion Verbruggen
Monica Huggett, Bruce Dickey
Stanley Ritchie, Mahan Esfahani

Seattle Baroque Orchestra’s 2008/09 season, which opens in October of 2008 at the Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall, will feature some of the most eminent names in early music today. Music Director Ingrid Matthews, who co-founded Seattle Baroque Orchestra with Byron Schenkman in 1994, has selected a remarkable array of artists to lead each program, accompanied by an outstanding core of Seattle-based musicians.

Ms. Matthews will be taking a one-year leave from her position as Music Director, and John Lenti, Associate Director, who regularly performs with Seattle Baroque Orchestra on lute, will be overseeing the season during her absence. Said Matthews, “My life has changed significantly since I first stepped onstage with SBO at the age of 27, and I am increasingly aware of the need for renewal, physically, emotionally and artistically. I look forward to being in every way refreshed a year from now, and, in the meantime, I am very excited about what SBO has to offer.” “The SBO Board is very supportive of Ingrid Matthews,” said Maria Coldwell, SBO Board member, immediate past President, and Executive Director of Early Music America. “We understand her need to take a leave of absence at this time. Meanwhile, we look forward to a very exciting season in 08-09, featuring some of the world’s best Baroque specialists.”

The season line-up is as follows:

October 18-19, 2008— Portrait of a Baroque Diva: Francesca Cuzzoni

Seattle’s musical treasure Stephen Stubbs, lutenist, directs a program of virtuosic instrumental music and arias by Handel and others, featuring a rare local appearance by soprano Cyndia Sieden, who has been dazzling European audiences with this repertoire for many years.

December 13-14, 2008—A Cape Breton Christmas

David Greenberg returns! SBO’s long-time friend, violinist and fiddler extraordinaire, leads a festive holiday program of Scottish-influenced baroque music.

February 14-15, 2009—Verbruggen Plays Vivaldi

The hugely popular Dutch recorder virtuoso Marion Verbruggen is the featured guest artist for a program of Vivaldi and other 18^th-century concertos, sure to amaze.

March 28-29, 2009—Fantastic Style: Virtuoso Violin and Cornetto

English violinist and conductor Monica Huggett, who also leads the Portland Baroque Orchestra, and other ensembles, will explore the richly evocative music of 17^th-century Italy, along with one of the world’s most distinguished exponents of the rarely-heard cornetto, Bologna-based Bruce Dickey.

April 18-19, 2009: Back to Bach

Stanley Ritchie, the beloved Australian violinist (important mentor to Ingrid Matthews, Byron Schenkman, David Greenberg and many others) leads a very special program of J.S. Bach. Also featured is harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani.

TO SUBSCRIBE NOW OR FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SBO’S 2008/09 SEASON CALL 206.322.3118

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