Venetian Carnival set to take over the NAC in stylish fundraiser for local choir
For more than 850 years, the Carnival of Venice has offered revellers an opportunity to immerse themselves in glamour. With beautiful costumes and masks, this annual celebration is famous the world over.
While this year’s festivities in Italy are scheduled from February 15 to March 4, residents of Ottawa-Gatineau can get a head start on their European friends thanks to a special event this coming Saturday at the National Arts Centre.
As a fundraiser for an upcoming European tour, the Ottawa Bach Choir will be hosting the Venetian Carnival. The enchanted evening begins at 7 pm in the NAC salon, followed by a gala-styled concert by the Choir. Tickets are $95, with a $70 tax receipt available upon request.
Participants will be able to play games of chance, have an opportunity to win prizes, and taste delicious hot and cold canapés, as well as desserts, which will be prepared by the highly talented chefs at Le Café. Guests can wear costumes, although this is not mandatory, while masks will be provided at the door.
The gala is raising funds for a summer tour that will see the Ottawa Bach Choir become the first Canadian choir to sing in the prestigious annual Bach Festival in Leipzig.
Lisette Canton
“Bachfest Leipzig is the largest festival celebrating Bach’s music in the world,” explains Lisette Canton, the founder and artistic director of the Ottawa Bach Choir. ”It takes place in the very place Bach worked for most of his life, at the Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) in Leipzig, Germany. The Ottawa Bach Choir is the first Canadian choir ever to be invited to perform at this prestigious festival and will sing on June 20, 2014.”
In addition to the performance in Leipzig, the Choir will sing in Lübeck, Germany, St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, and the Dutch cities of Groningen and Amsterdam. This will be the Choir’s fourth European tour, having previously performed in Germany, England, Austria, France and the Czech Republic.
Founded in 2002, the ensemble plays a wide range of music, while keeping the works of the master composer Johann Sebastian Bach as its focus.
“The fully professional choir of about 25 singers comprises a wide range of ages, including advanced singers from the university level and up,” says Canton. ”It has a subscription series in Ottawa and has also performed all over the world, including Europe, Mexico, Carnegie Hall in New York City, and throughout Canada.”
The Venetian Carnival takes place this Saturday, January 25, at the NAC. Festivities start at 7 pm and tickets are $95, with a $70 tax receipt available upon request.
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