Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec, under the direction of Bernard Labadie, perform with soloists David Daniels, Joshua Hopkins, Rosemary Joshua, and Jan Kobow

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009, 8 PM (Baroque Variations series)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2009, 8 PM (Deck the Hall series)

Messiah is composer George Frideric Handel’s most famous creation, and one of the most beloved oratorios of all time. It has long been a holiday masterpiece, and these performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall feature the acclaimed chamber orchestra Les Violons du Roy, and the mixed-voice chamber choir La Chapelle de Québec, both founded by Bernard Labadie, one of the leading conductors of the Baroque and Classical repertoire. Labadie leads both ensembles and soloists David Daniels, countertenor; Joshua Hopkins, baritone; Rosemary Joshua, soprano; and Jan Kobow, tenor, in two special performances, Tuesday, December 15 at 8 p.m., and Wednesday, December 16, at 8 p.m.

Canada’s eminent critic William Littler called Bernard Labadie the “King of the Classical,” and upon hearing his 2004 Los Angeles Philharmonic Messiah, LA Weekly declared that “the Labadie Messiah was one of those legendary occasions when music you think you know front and back turns into an exhilarating discovery.” Much of Labadie’s unique reputation is the result of his work with Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec, which he founded in 1984 and 1985, respectively, and continues to lead as music director to this day.

David Daniels is known for his superlative artistry, magnetic stage presence and voice of singular warmth and surpassing beauty, which have helped him redefine his voice category for the modern public. The New York Times states, “To say that he is the most acclaimed countertenor of the day, perhaps the best ever, is to understate his achievement. He is simply a great singer.” The American countertenor has appeared with the world’s major opera companies and on its main concert and recital stages. Gramophone magazine acknowledged his contribution to recorded excellence as well as his expansion of the repertoire for his voice type by naming him one of the “Top Ten Trailblazers” in classical music today. Highly sought after for the works of Handel, Monteverdi, Gluck, Mozart and Britten, David Daniels has been featured on the great operatic stages of the world to overwhelming critical acclaim.

Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins has been hailed as “…an outstanding young baritone with a virile, vigorous yet velvety sound and an immediately evident dramatic authority.” Operatic engagements of the current season include his Metropolitan Opera debut as Ping in Turandot, conducted by Andris Nelsons, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte at Opera Lyra Ottawa and the Santa Fe Opera with Lawrence Renes, Olivier in Capriccio at Pacific Opera Victoria, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia at Arizona Opera, and Sid in Albert Herring at the Santa Fe Opera under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis. Hopkins regularly tours North America with Bernard Labadie and Les Violons du Roy offering performances of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio as well as Handel’s Messiah. Hopkins has signed an exclusive recording contract with ATMA Classique and his first recital recording on the label is to be released in 2010.

Cardiff-born soprano Rosemary Joshua is one of the most in-demand Handel singers in the world. An internationally renowned soprano, Joshua has sung Ginevra (Ariodante) in San Diego; Angelica in Munich and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Poppea (Agrippina) in Cologne, Brussels and Paris; Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) in Paris, Amsterdam and Florida; and the title role in Semele to great critical acclaim at the Aix-en-Provence and Innsbruck Festivals, Flanders Opera, Cologne Opera, the BBC Proms and the English National Opera (where she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award in the category for Outstanding Achievement in Opera). Most recently, she has sung the title role in Partenope at the English National Opera and Nitocris (Belshazzar) at the Deutsche Staatsoper, and at the Innsbruck and Aix-en-Provence Festivals.

German tenor Jan Kobow has been in regular demand as a Lieder and oratorio singer, and a performer of early music. He performs with the world’s foremost baroque music ensembles and conductors, and feels a strong attachment to German art songs of the romantic period. He has released four recordings of Lieder, and performs with noted fortepiano specialists such as Leo van Doeselaar and Kristian Bezuidenhout. He is regularly invited by the festival Kissinger Sommer. Kobow also performs regularly with the vocal ensemble Himlische Cantorey, of which he is a founding member. He has been engaged for numerous CD productions and broadcasts, and several of his recordings have received the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis prize.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Deck the Hall series of holiday concerts includes the Holiday Organ Spectacular with David Higgs, Wednesday, December 9, 2009; A Chanticleer Christmas, Thursday, December 17, 2009; Holiday Sing-Along, Saturday, December 19, 2009, 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; Holidays with Sweet Honey In The Rock, Tuesday, December 22, 2009; Preservation Hall Jazz Band: A Creole Christmas, Wednesday, December 23, 2009; and two special New Year’s Eve performances with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Thursday, December 31, 2009, 7:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association presents music from the 17th through early 18th centuries in its Baroque Variations series. The 2009/10 season series continues with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra on February 3, 2010, and Anonymous 4 on March 17, 2010.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Gustavo Dudamel, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable locations anywhere to experience music – Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association’s involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational concerts, children's programming and community concerts, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009, 8 PM (Baroque Variations series)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2009, 8 PM (Deck the Hall series)

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles



Les Violons du Roy

La Chapelle de Québec

Bernard Labadie, conductor



Rosemary Joshua, soprano

David Daniels, countertenor

Jan Kobow, tenor

Joshua Hopkins, baritone



HANDEL Messiah

Tickets are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card by phone at 323.850.2000. When available, choral bench seats ($17) will be released for sale to selected Philharmonic, Colburn Celebrity Series, and Baroque Variations performances beginning at noon on the Tuesday of the second week prior to the concert. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For information, please call 323.850.2000.

# # #