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2023 Britten: St. Nicolas / Bach: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV 65

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Date
Boston, MA, USA
Emmanuel Church 15 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116
USA
Britten: St. Nicolas / Bach: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV 65
Time
4:00 pm

Britten: St. Nicolas; Bach: Cantata Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV 65
Emmanuel Music, Ryan Turner conductor

Britten: St. Nicolas
Bach: Cantata Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV 65
Emmanuel Music, Ryan Turner conductor

St. Nicholas revives three youths - painting by Bicci di Lorenzo, Italian 1433–35
St. Nicholas revives three youths in barrels – painting by Bicci di Lorenzo, Italian 1433–35. Metropolitan Museum of Art

Written for tenor, chorus, orchestra, and audience participation, Britten’s cantata St. Nicolas presents scenes from the vita of the fiery patron saint of sailors and children. (Written for the feast day of St. Nicolas on December 6, it has little to do with our conception of Santa Claus nor even Christmas!) The miracle story “Nicolas and the Pickled Boys” is as affecting as it is implausible.

Bach’s Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen is an Epiphany cantata recounting the arrival of the wise men at the manger with gifts. It’s rich with noble horns in the opening chorus, and has lovely arias for bass and tenor.