Baroque Academy*

July 6-13
Arthur Haas*, director

Faculty: Julianne Baird*, voice; Dana Maiben*, Baroque violin; Saskia Coolen* and Han Tol*, recorder; Janet See*, Baroque flute; Washington McClain*, Baroque oboe; Dominic Teresi*, Baroque bassoon; Rainer Zipperling*, viola da gamba and Baroque cello; and Arthur Haas*, harpsichord and chamber music coaching.

The Baroque Academy is a program for very advanced amateur and pre-professional singers and instrumentalists. This year the Academy will explore German music from the early 17th century to the high Baroque, with particular emphasis on the works of Buxtehude, Bach, and Handel. Students take part in master class sessions, chamber ensembles, and special topic classes. The Academy orchestra will work on repertory for strings and winds, including Bach’s Orchestral Suite #1. Master class repertory will be posted on the AEM website. A=415.

The Academy offers in-depth classes in Baroque performance practice. Master classes provide one-on-one coaching with Baroque specialists. Students are placed in chamber ensembles to work on challenging Baroque repertoire for Saturday performance. We encourage ensembles to attend and be coached as a group. Performance opportunities for your ensemble will be made available.

Baroque Academy faculty performs Thursday night, July 10, and students perform Saturday afternoon, July 12. Singers and the Academy orchestra will participate in a staged performance of Conradi’s Ariadne on July 11.

Scholarships available for violin concertmaster and voice; please inquire.

Baroque Academy Opera Project*: Conradi’s Ariadne
Fully staged with singers, dancers, and Baroque Academy orchestra on Friday evening, July 11. Director: Drew Minter*. Musical Director: Alex Weimann*. Dance Directors: Dorothy Olsson*, Kaspar D. Mainz*. Vocal coach: Julianne Baird*. Scriptwriter: Lawrence Rosenwald*. Costumer: Ronnie Snader*.
Scores and parts used by permission from the Boston Early Music Festival.

Ariadne is important as the earliest surviving score from the repertory of the Hamburg opera and is thus a significant document in the history of German opera. The opera is freely based on the classical myth of Ariadne (soprano), daughter of Minos, King of Crete (baritone), who falls in love with Theseus, Prince of Athens (tenor). Theseus has come to Crete to try to stop the terrible practice of offering up young Athenian men and women as sacrifices to the Minotaur, a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man. In the version presented by this opera Theseus loves Phaedra (soprano), Ariadne’s sister. After he learns from Ariadne the secret of escape from the labyrinth, he abandons her on an island and flees with Phaedra. Bacchus (tenor), who appears earlier in the opera disguised as Evantes, arrives and immediately falls in love with Ariadne. They are met by Venus and her Graces, and in the finale are raised to the heavens, where Ariadne is transformed into the constellation Corona Ariadne (i.e. Corona Borealis). (George J. Buelow, Grove Music Online)

Admission to the Baroque Academy is by recorded audition only. To apply, please submit application form, tuition deposit and application fee, a resume of your studies and performing experience, and a 10-15-minute audition CD showing your technical ability, musical expression, and your understanding of Baroque style. Please include German music. Vocal roles in the Opera Project will be cast by May 15 on the basis of Baroque Academy audition CDs. Singers please submit two copies of these materials: audition CD, photo, and a detailed resume including stage experience, height, hair color, and eye color. Audition deadline is April 15, 2008.

Note: Opera participants are expected to arrive early. Rehearsals begin Saturday, July 5.