Greetings! 

In 2015, it was Verdi's Requiem. In 2016, it is Mahler's Symphony No. 8. On February 24 and 25, Kent leads the second of his grand choral events at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine with forces numbering more than 450:  the Oratorio Society of New York, the Manhattan School of Music Symphonic Chorus, Women's Chorus, and Orchestra, and the Cathedral Choristers (children's choir) of St. John the Divine, and soloists including Sara Murphy, mezzo-soprano; John Tiranno, tenor; and Adam Lau, bass; along with graduate students from the Manhattan School of Music.

Mahler spoke of the 8th, sometimes called the "Symphony of a Thousand," as his most groundbreaking symphony and the grandest thing he had ever done. Weaving together the text of a medieval hymn and the closing scene of Goethe's Faust, it draws together essential redemptive themes of Western culture and is one of the most ambitious and thrilling of such works, perfect for the world's largest neo-Gothic space.

Kent follows this masterpiece with a world premiere: Evan Fein's Deborah, performed by Musica Sacra on March 9 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. This new oratorio by American composer Fein tells the dramatic story of the prophet Deborah, the only female judge of Israel mentioned in the Bible, who led a battle against the king of Canaan. Soprano Lianne Coble sings the title role, and is joined in the cast by mezzo-soprano Helen Karloski, tenor Marc Day, and bass Kevin Deas.

Watch Kent talk with Evan and Lianne about the new piece, which was made possible by the Tikkun Olam Foundation, Inc.:


And on March 15, Kent leads the Cathedral Choir and Orchestra of St. John the Divine in a program in anticipation of Holy Week and Easter: one of Bach's most beloved cantatas, Cantata No. 4, "Christ lag in Todesbanden" ("Christ lay in the bonds of death") as well as Vivaldi's Stabat Mater and Musikalische Exequien by Sch�tz.

If you missed it - read the profile of Kent in the January 2016 issue of Opera News!

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Wednesday, February 24, 2016, 7:30 PM
Great Music in a Great Space at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC SYMPHONIC CHORUS, WOMEN'S CHORUS, AND ORCHESTRA
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
Kent Tritle, conductor
Angel Azzarra, soprano
Bryn Holdsworth, soprano
Janet Todd, soprano
Sara Murphy, mezzo-soprano
Lisa Barone, mezzo-soprano
John Tiranno, tenor
Timothy Murray, baritone
Adam Lau, bass
Cathedral Choristers of St. John the Divine

MAHLER Symphony No. 8, "Symphony of a Thousand"


Thursday, February 25, 2016, 7:30 PM
Great Music in a Great Space at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC SYMPHONIC CHORUS, WOMEN'S CHORUS, AND ORCHESTRA
ORATORIO SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
Kent Tritle, conductor
Angel Azzarra, soprano
Bryn Holdsworth, soprano
Jana McIntyre, soprano 
Sara Murphy, mezzo-soprano
Noragh Devlin, mezzo-soprano
John Tiranno, tenor
Timothy Murray, baritone
Adam Lau, bass
Cathedral Choristers of St. John the Divine

MAHLER  Symphony No. 8, "Symphony of a Thousand"

(In a related event, organist David Briggs presents the world premiere of his arrangement of Mahler's Symphony No. 8 for chorus, soloists, and organ on the Cathedral's "Great Organ" series on April 7, 2016)


Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 7:30 PM
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center
MUSICA SACRA

Kent Tritle, conductor
Lianne Coble, soprano
Helen Karloski, mezzo-soprano
Marc Day, tenor
Kevin Deas, bass

EVAN FEIN  Deborah (World Premiere)
MOZART  Solemn Vespers, K.339



Tuesday, March 15, 2016, 7:30 PM
Great Music in a Great Space at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
CATHEDRAL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
Kent Tritle, conductor

Amy Justman & Michele Kennedy, sopranos
Katie Geissinger & Kirsten Sollek, mezzo-sopranos
Michael Steinberger & Marc Day, tenors
Malcolm J. Merriweather & Peter Stewart, baritones 

J.S. BACH  Cantata No. 4, "Christ lag in Todesbanden"
SCH�TZ  Musikalische Exequien
VIVALDI  Stabat Mater
 


About Kent Tritle
  
Kent Tritle is one of America's leading choral conductors. Called "the brightest star in New York's choral music world" by The New York Times, he is Director of Cathedral Music and Organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City; Music Director of the Oratorio Society of New York, the acclaimed 200-voice volunteer chorus; and Music Director of Musica Sacra, the longest continuously performing professional chorus in New York City. In addition, Kent is Director of Choral Activities and Chair of the Organ Department at the Manhattan School of Music and is a member of the graduate faculty of The Juilliard School. An acclaimed organ virtuoso, he is also the organist of the New York Philharmonic.
 
For more information, visit www.kenttritle.com.