Past Programs

Concerts & Events

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Festival Program 2018

Sunday, June 17, 2018
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Parisian Divertissements

Elizabeth Blumenstock leads the Festival Orchestra in music originally performed in the 18th-century “Concert Spirituel” series in Paris — including a violin concerto by Leclair and Corelli’s beloved Christmas Concerto — plus ballet suites by Telemann and Rameau.

Monday, June 18, 2018
Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 8 p.m.

Bach and the French Style

A recital by the internationally acclaimed organist Jonathan Dimmock, cofounder of the American Bach Soloists.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Stylus Phantasticus

Harmonically adventurous and texturally rich chamber music from Becker, Bertali, Biber, Buxtehude and Schmelzer.

Friday, June 22, 2018
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Les Petits Concerts

David Shostac (flute), Lara Wickes (oboe), Elizabeth Blumenstock (violin), Michael Kaufman (cello) and Gabriel Arregui (harpsichord) perform chamber works by Rameau, Telemann, Leclair and their contemporaries.

Sunday, June 24, 2018
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale: Handel’s Orlando

Sopranos Amanda Keenan and Josefien Stoppelenburg, alto Robin Bier, countertenor Clifton Massey and bass Graham Bier join the Festival Orchestra in a spirited concert version of this charming opera, accompanied by an entertaining narrative.

Program Booklet 2018

Festival Program 2017

Sunday, June 18, 2017
Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 4 p.m.

All a Bout: Dialog in Music & Fencing

Elizabeth Blumenstock leads the Festival Orchestra and distinguished soloists in an afternoon of lively Baroque compositions by Biber, Schmelzer and others, featuring Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, and a fencing demonstration set to music.

Monday, June 19, 2017
Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 8 p.m.

Four Viols at Play

A consort of violas da gamba in a program of works from the British Isles during the 16th and 17th centuries, including pieces by Purcell, Jenkins and Hume.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music from Monticello

A program of chamber and vocal music from Thomas Jefferson’s vast library, featuring soprano Jennifer Ellis Kampani and accompanied by relevant readings.

Friday, June 23, 2017
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Beyond Baroque

Elizabeth Blumenstock (violin), David Shostac (flute), Timothy Landauer (cello), Andrew McIntosh (violin, viola) and Lara Wickes (oboe) perform chamber works by J.C. Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Cambini and Albrechtsberger.

Sunday, June 25, 2017
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale: A Quire of Choirs

Polyphonic Music from the Edge of the Baroque

For our Festival Finale, cornettos, sackbuts, strings and vocalists join in performing majestic works of Gabrieli and Monteverdi, in collaboration with the Los Angeles–based Baroque ensemble Tesserae. Preceded by an Italian-inspired performance of early folk music played on the hurdy gurdy, zampogna and musette at 3:15 p.m.

Program Booklet 2017

Festival Program 2016

Sunday, June 19, 2016
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

The Hanoverian Putsch

Concertos that took England by storm. Elizabeth Blumenstock leads the Festival Orchestra and distinguished soloists in an afternoon of Baroque concertos by Johann Christian Bach (“the London Bach,”who spent the last two decades of his life in London) and others, featuring Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 1. With harpsichord soloist Ian Pritchard.

Monday, June 20, 2016
Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 8 p.m.

An Evening in Britain

Celebrated harpist Diana Rowan presents a recital tracing the history of the harp, with a focus on Baroque and pre-Baroque music illustrating how the instrument has been used in the British Isles. Countertenor Dylan Hostetter joins in performing a selection of traditional ballads. With accompaniment by violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Dancing in the Isles

Traditional English, Irish and Scottish medleys for recorder and strings, featuring works by the British masters James Oswald (1710–1759?), Henry Purcell (1659–1695) and others. With recorder soloist Judith Linsenberg.

Friday, June 24, 2016
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

A London Salon

Sonatas of the English High Baroque by Handel, Valentine, Stanley and others. With Gabriel Arregui, harpsichord; Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; Timothy Landauer, cello; and David Shostac, flute.

Sunday, June 26, 2016
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale: Purcell’s King Arthur

A performance of this dramatic semi-opera of 1691. Elizabeth Blumenstock conducts the Festival Orchestra and vocalists in a full concert version of this operatic milestone to celebrate its 325th anniversary.

Program Booklet 2016

Festival Program 2015 — 35th Annual Season

Sunday, June 21, 2015
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos: A Tale of Two Johanns

Concertos by J.S. Bach and J.G. Graun. Elizabeth Blumenstock leads the Festival Orchestra and distinguished oboe, recorder, violin, and viola soloists in an afternoon of Baroque concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach and Johann Gottlieb Graun, featuring Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, with Kathryn Adduci on trumpet, and his Brandenburg Concerto No. 3.

Monday, June 22, 2015
Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 8 p.m.

Bach at Work, Bach at Home

Keyboard masterworks by Bach. Ian Pritchard performs Bach preludes and fugues for organ, and sonatas and suites for harpsichord, with violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music for Three Kings

Excerpts from Bach’s Das Musikalische Opfer, BWV 1079 — an integrated collection of canons, fugues and other pieces all based on a single musical theme given to him by Frederick the Great — are performed in arrangements for strings by the Festival chamber ensemble and guest flutist Christopher Matthews. Plus works written for Baroque-era royalty by Couperin, Quantz and Schmelzer.

Friday, June 26, 2015
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

All Bach, All Evening: Sonatas and Trio Sonatas

A selection of duo and trio sonatas and other works by J.S. Bach performed by Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; Gabriel Arregui, harpsichord; David Shostac, flute; and Gretchen Claassen, cello.

Sunday, June 28, 2015
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Sacred and Secular: Vocal Music of J.S. Bach and C.H. Graun

Vocal soloists and the Festival Orchestra present J.S. Bach’s sacred Cantatas Nos. 17 and 73, plus arias and other excerpts from C.H. Graun’s 1742 opera Cesare e Cleopatra.

Program Booklet 2015

Festival Program 2014

Sunday, June 22, 2014
St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Champions of the Concerto

Concertos for Multiple Soloists by Telemann and Vivaldi. Elizabeth Blumenstock leads the Festival Orchestra in supporting distinguished string soloists and Mindy Rosenberg on flute in an afternoon of concertos by Telemann and Vivaldi.

Monday, June 23, 2014
Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 8 p.m.

Whence Baroque?

O Primavera: Madrigals of the Late Renaissance and Early Baroque. A vocal exploration by the Concord Ensemble, presenting songs by Gesualdo, Vecchi, Monteverdi, Marenzio, Schütz, Ferrabosco and Luzzaschi. With instrumental interludes by Ferrabosco and Uccellini.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Dawn of the Baroque

Arias, Sonatas, Canzonas, Dances and Capriccios of the Italian Early Baroque. Music from the early Baroque period, featuring the cornetto and the sackbut in selections from Gabrieli, Merula, Marini, Cavalli, Frescobaldi, Castello, Falconieri and Uccellini. With Alexandra Opsahl, cornetto; Ian Pritchard, harpsichord; Nick Daley, sackbut; and strings.

Friday, June 27, 2014
Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Whither Baroque? Origins of the Classical Style

Late Baroque and early Classical pieces by C.P.E. Bach, Balbastre, Boccherini, J.C. Bach, Fasch, Wanhal, and Duport. With Gabriel Arregui, harpsichord; Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin; Timothy Landauer, cello; David Shostac, flute; and Lara Wickes, oboe.

Sunday, June 29, 2014
Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale: 300 Years On

Births, Deaths, Marriages, Publications and Good Gigs in the Music World of 1714. A musical snapshot of exactly three centuries ago, highlighting composers and works related to the milestone year of 1714. Featuring the Festival Orchestral and mezzo-soprano Kristen Toedtman presenting orchestral and vocal works by C.P.E. Bach, Corelli, Telemann, Erlebach, Veracini, Arne and Handel.

Program Booklet 2014

Festival Program 2013

Sunday, June 16, 2013

St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Music by Avison/Scarlatti, Graupner, Telemann and Vivaldi. Elizabeth Blumenstock leads the Festival Orchestra and distinguished soloists in an afternoon of Baroque concertos by Avison/Scarlatti, Graupner, Telemann and Vivaldi.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Baroque masterworks by Bach, Buxtehude, Fischer and others. The superb young organist Ian Pritchard presents a recital of Baroque masterworks by Bach, Buxtehude, Fischer and others on the magnificent organ of Saint Michael & All Angels

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Elizabeth Blumenstock leads “Hearing Inner Voices,” an evening of works by Scarlatti, Bach, and Handel, including scena from Handel’s opera Orlando and other pieces for countertenor and chamber ensemble.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Viva Italia! A celebration of chamber music from the Italian Baroque by Brescianello, Platti, Locatelli, Vivaldi, and Alessandro Scarlatti.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 4 p.m.

Opera Festival Finale

A full concert performance of Handel’s pastoral opera Acis & Galatea, his most popular dramatic work — and his only stage work never to have left the opera repertory.

Program Booklet 2013

Festival Program 2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Music by Bach, Quantz, Scarlatti, Telemann, and Vivaldi. Elizabeth Blumenstock leads the Festival Orchestra with guest artists Judith Linsenberg, recorder and Stephen Schultz, flute.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 8 p.m.

Simone Dinnerstein in Recital

A special program of Bach suites and partitas by this acclaimed pianist, one of America’s foremost Bach specialists. Presented jointly with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Elizabeth Blumenstock leads an evening of instrumental and vocal chamber music featuring flute and recorder in works by Bach, Boismortier, Handel, Telemann and Vivaldi.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Featuring French sonatas performed by Elizabeth Blumenstock and guest artists Gabriel Arregui, harpsichord; Timothy Landauer, cello; and David Shostac, flute.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Music by Purcell composed for royal occasions of the English Court; plus the world premiere of Ode after Purcell: Wondrous Cecelia! by composer Roy Whelden, commissioned to honor Dr. Burton Karson. John Alexander, conductor with Pacific Chorale’s John Alexander Singers and the Festival Orchestra led by Elizabeth Blumenstock.

Program Booklet 2012

Festival Program 2011

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 4 p.m.

Gala Concert: Handel in Italy

Pacific Chorale’s John Alexander Singers

Festival Orchestra

Elizabeth Blumenstock, Concertmaster

John Alexander, Conductor

The Festival’s 31st annual season marked a transitional year. By necessity, following the February 2011 retirement of its esteemed founding artistic director and conductor, Burton Karson, the Festival was not in a position to produce a full series of concerts as in the past. However, the Board of Directors announced that in June 2012 the Festival would return to its traditional week of five concerts. Meanwhile, for 2011, the Festival staged one gala concert, “Handel in Italy,” featuring works by Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti, Corelli, and Handel including Handel’s Dixit Dominus, HWV 232.

Program Booklet 2011

Festival Program 2010 — 30th Annual Season

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Solo concertos and concerti grossi by Handel, Dieupart, Porpora, Telemann and Vivaldi, for violin, cello, oboe, organ and trumpet.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Masterworks for organ and Baroque trumpet.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

An evening of entertaining secular music.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Solo, duo and trio sonatas.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Baroque and neo-Baroque Romantic works by Bach, Handel and Brahms.

Program Booklet 2010

Festival Program 2009

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Concertos by Purcell, Handel, Telemann and Vivaldi for viola da gamba, harp, violin, organ and trumpet.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Masterworks for organ and trumpet by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Alain and others.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Vocal and instrumental chamber music by Purcell, Handel and Mendelssohn.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Chamber music by Handel, Purcell and Bach.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Major works by Purcell, Bach, Handel and Mendelssohn.

Program Booklet 2009

Festival Program 2008

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Concertos by Bach, Vivaldi, Torelli, Telemann and Sammartini for violin, violoncello, organ and trumpet.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Masterworks by Torelli, Bach and Clérambault, and neo-Baroque works by Liszt and Distler.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Cantatas, arias and choruses by Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti, Torelli and Farina.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Chamber music by Torelli, Telemann, Bach and Roman.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Vivaldi’s Dixit Dominus, RV 59, plus other festive works by Durante and Bach.

Program Booklet 2008

Festival Program 2007

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Concertos by Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni, Durante and Porpora for violin, violoncello, organ, plus double concertos for violin and organ and for two oboes

Monday, June 18, 2007

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Masterworks by Buxtehude, Bach, Frescobaldi, and Reger, and neo-Baroque works by Brahms and Langlais.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Bach’s “Peasant Cantata” & shorter works by Tania Gabrielle French, Heinichen, and Bach.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Chamber music by Bach, Handel, Buxtehude, Frederick the Great, and Mondonville.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Festive works by Bach, Handel, and Buxtehude.

Program Booklet 2007

Festival Program 2006

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Concertos by Leo, Tartini, Telemann, Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Solo works, and works for organ and trumpet, and by J.S. Bach, Guilain, Jeremiah Clarke, Mendelssohn, Albinoni, and Dupré.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Purcell: Welcome to All the Pleasures, Z. 339

Purcell: The Masque in Timon of Athens, Z. 632

Other chamber works by Purcell

Friday, June 23, 2006

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Chamber Music by J.S. Bach, Handel, and Graupner

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Purcell: Hail, Bright Cecilia

Mendelssohn: Hear My Prayer

J.S. Bach: Wachet! betet! betet! wachet!, BWV 70

Mozart: God Is Our Refuge, K. 20

Mozart: Ave verum corpus, K. 618

Charpentier: Te Deum

Program Booklet 2006

Festival Program 2005 — 25th Annual Season

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Concertos by Tartini, Vivaldi, Heinichen, Handel, and Linn

Monday, June 20, 2005

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Solo works by J.S. Bach, A. Scarlatti, Dupré, and Ropek

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Monteverdi: Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda

J.S. Bach: Coffee Cantata

Instrumental concertos

Friday, June 24, 2005

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Chamber Music by J.S. Bach, Fasch, Goldberg, and Pergolesi/Stravinsky

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Scarlatti: Magnificat from Vespero di Santa Cecilia

Handel: Ode for Saint Cecilia’s Day

J.S. Bach: Easter Oratorio, BWV 249

Program Booklet 2005

Festival Program 2004

Sunday, June 20, 2004

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Baroque Concertos

Concertos by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Corelli, Corrette and Torelli

Monday, June 21, 2004

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 8 p.m.

Organ Recital

Solo works and works for organ and trumpet by Dumage, Cabanilles, Pachelbel, J.S. Bach, Daquin and others

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens I

Purcell: Hark, How the Wild Musicians Sing

Charpentier: Le mariage forcé

Instrumental sonatas and sinfonias

Friday, June 25, 2004

Sherman Library & Gardens, Central Patio Room, 8 p.m.

Music in the Gardens II

Chamber Music by J.S. Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, Zelenka, and François Couperin

Sunday, June 27, 2004

Saint Michael & All Angels Church, 4 p.m.

Festival Finale

Briegel: Lobet den Herren

Brahms: Herr, wie lange willst du mein so ganz vergessen, Op. 27

J.S. Bach: Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV 75

Mouret: Suite de Symphonie No. 1

Charpentier: Te Deum

Program Booklet 2004

Festival Programs 1981-2003 — Program Booklets

Please note that while program booklet files 2004 onwards are digital files, the files below are 300dpi grayscale scans of physical copies of cream colored booklets with sepia print. To maximize the viewing quality on opening, go to “view” in your browser’s menu and select “actual size.” Next, select “zoom in” until your preferred file size for reading on screen is reached. Programs can also be printed out, at US letter size per booklet page.