Passion and Piety in the early German Baroque
This program of sacred music displays the intimate passion and fervent piety of the works of the three masters of the early German baroque: Heinrich Schütz, Johann Hermann Schein and Samuel Scheidt. The music is drawn from their respective Kleine geistliche Konzerte, works that reflect the turmoil of the Thirty Years War not only economically - in their small forces - but also emotionally. The highly dramatic nature of the music and careful attention to the text, revealing the influence of contemporary Italian composition, are paired with characteristically German contrapuntal rigor and modally-inflected harmonies. In a time of religious war, the singing of sacred music was a political action, and music brought the war-cries and laments of the battlefield to the peace of the sanctuary.
Marvelous Dust
A musical vanitas, this program explores 17th-century perspectives
on the concept of nothingness, a popular subject in early modern
Europe. Music written by female composers forges a particularly
interesting relationship to the trope of nothingness, as physical
beauty has traditionally been the standard by which female worth
is judged in the Western world. This program explores the transient
nature of this marker of worth from female perspectives, presenting
little-known music by female composers such as Strozzi, Leonarda and Cozzolani.
Snow White
Charites collaborates with Company XIV, a Baroque inspired dance/theater
company, for Snow White, part of the dazzling and dangerous Apple Trilogy.
Charites sings Brooke Bryant's original compositions, providing the
"mellifluous and penetrating three-part harmony of the Queen's magic mirror,
a fantastic choice for a fantastical object." (New Theater Corps). Based on
the Brothers Grimm's classic tale, this humorous and dark production appeals
to children and adults alike. Show Business Weekly calls Charites "a captivating
triad ... which fits in perfectly with the movement and highlights the dance,"
performing works by Handel and Bellini, as well as Yiddish folk music and
original compositions.
Alcide al Bivio
Charites joins forces with a cast of talented guest artists to present
the modern premiere of Johann Adolf Hasse and Pietro Metastasio's
festive 1760 opera, Alcide al bivio, an allegorical battle between Virtue
and Pleasure. Directed by Sarah Meyers of the Metropolitan Opera, this
program features dancers, elaborate costumes and a chamber orchestra
conducted by Mark Seto.
The Lais of Machaut
The most celebrated composer of the 14th-century, Guillaume de Machaut was
also a poet who sought to foster a close alliance between text and music in his
works. Machaut’s lais - narrative poems on chivalric themes sung throughout -
exemplify this relationship, using ars nova techniques to elevate the genre to
new levels of sophistication. Charites performs these rarely-heard works, evoking
an elegant chivalric tradition.
Et in Arcadia Ego
Escape the harried life of the 21st-century by stepping into the mythical
world of Arcadia. This program combines pastoral music and poetry from
the 16th- and 17th-centuries to evoke the world of graceful nymphs and
amorous shepherds. Charites performs music by Youll, Morley, Blow, Purcell,
Luzzaschi and Caccini, inviting the audience to participate in humorous
excerpts from John Weldon's Judgment of Paris.
Le Cirque Féerique (Fairy Circus)
Company XIV invites us back for another exciting collaboration. The "harmonious
soprano and contralto voices of an exquisite guest opera trio, Charites,"
(Back Stage) help to narrate this collection of fairy tales, told through
creator Austin McCormick's magical mix of opera, dance, theater and opulent design.
The ladies of Charites are perched above the action, like three exquisite birds,
accompanying the tales with endless musical variety: our unique rendition of Lady
Gaga's "Monster" rocks during Little Red Riding Hood’s encounter with the Big Bad
Wolf; the famous "Habanera" from Bizet’s Carmen underscores Ferdinand the Bull's
adventures; Madonna's "Like a Prayer" enhances Cinderella's story. This program
- a baroque circus confection - delights and amazes audiences of all ages.