Les Violons du Roy presents

Handel’s Messiah

No one remains unmoved by the exceptional renditions of Handel’s Messiah offered by the combined forces of La Chapelle de Québec, Les Violons du Roy and Bernard Labadie.

For this 40th-anniversary Messiah, and Les Violons du Roy’s 18th production of the work, Bernard Labadie once again brings together an outstanding quartet of soloists, including Liv Redpath and William Thomas in their Quebec debuts.

Artists
Bernard Labadie, conductor

Liv Redpath, soprano

Hailed as possessing “such a radiant voice, effortless even in the highest register with breathtaking coloratura, the likes of which have not been heard for a long time” (Berliner Umschau), Liv Redpath is a leading soprano leggero who is quickly establishing herself in diverse operatic and symphonic repertoire around the world.

A graduate of Harvard University and The Juilliard School, Ms. Redpath is a former Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist with the Los Angeles Opera.

Iestyn Davies, countertenor

Iestyn Davies is a British countertenor widely recognised as one of the world’s finest singers celebrated for the beauty and technical dexterity of his voice and intelligent musicianship. Critical recognition of Iestyn’s work can be seen in two Gramophone Awards, a Grammy Award, a RPS Award for Young Singer of the Year, the Critics’ Circle Award and recently an Olivier Award Nomination. He was appointed MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2017 for services to music.

Andrew Haji, tenor

Canadian tenor Andrew Haji is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after voices on both the operatic and concert stages. Winner of the Grand Prix at the 50th International Vocal Competition in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and the Montreal International Music Competition’s Oratorio Prize, Haji recently performed Bach’s Matthäus-Passion with Pinnock and the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Messiah for the Toronto Symphony – Debus conducting.

Andrew Haji holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music where he performed in productions of Les mamelles de Tirésias, Don Giovanni, Candide, Il mondo della luna and Rob Ford: The Opera, among others. He was invited to participate in young artist programmes at the Salzburg Festival Young Singers Project, the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy, the Music Academy of the West and Accademia Europea dell’Opera where he was influenced by some of the world’s finest musicians. A native-born Ontarian, he has received awards from the Marilyn Horne Song Competition in Santa Barbara and the COC’s annual Ensemble Studio Competition.

William Thomas, bass

A graduate of the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and recipient of a number of major awards, British bass William Thomas is fast making a name for himself as one of today’s most promising young singers.

Highlights in his 2024/25 season include his debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich as Colline La bohème, Sparafucile Rigoletto in a return to the English National Opera and his Carnegie Hall debut in Bach’s Johannes-Passion with the Orchestra of St Luke’s/Bernard Labadie.

La Chapelle de Québec

Created in 1985 by founding conductor and music director Bernard Labadie, La Chapelle de Québec is one of North America’s premiere voice ensembles. The group is made up exclusively of professional singers who are hand picked from all over Canada. This unique chamber choir specializes in the choral/orchestral repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries. The choir performs regularly with its other half, chamber orchestra Les Violons du Roy, and as a guest choir with some of the finest orchestras in North America. Its interpretations of the oratorios, requiems, masses, and cantatas of Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Haydn, as well as Fauré and Duruflé, are frequently hailed in the Canadian and international press.

Maison symphonique
Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7:30pm

This concert will be preceded by a talk at 6:45pm by Kelly Rice, who will share some thoughts and listening tips for the evening’s program.

To purchase your tickets, visit: www.placedesarts.com