Hello! Bonjour!

If you like early music, or music in general, this is a good place to be. Our page is about one ensemble, The Boston Camerata, but there is plenty here to interest all kinds of human beings. We aim to provide:

• news of our music (updated regularly),
• a description of who we are and what we do,
• a current discography, (including tons of fascinating and hard-to-find info on early music)
• a touring and recording schedule,
• for Boston-area friends, an announcement of our 2004-2005 in town season.
• biographical sketches of Camerata's musicians,
• and other important stuff we haven't thought of yet.

Please check back here from time to time, as we will try to keep our information current.

Camerata’s Fiftieth! A Season of Celebration

For the Boston Camerata’s half-century anniversary season, the Camerata and I have thought it important to choose programs that “vibrate” not only with our ensemble’s past achievements, but also with the concerns and challenges of this particular, crucial moment in world history.

And so, our opening event in Boston is not an “early music” concert, but rather the reprise of a musical masterpiece by Kurt Weill (1900-1950) -- his Johnny Johnson, the 1936 allegory of an idealistic young American who goes to war to bring democracy to foreign lands. Paul Green’s texts sound in places like they were penned yesterday, and Weill’s poignant music goes straight to the heart. This event is presented jointly with the Fleet Boston Celebrity Series.

Our holiday program, Mediterranean Christmas, is an old favorite, but revised this year to include contributions from gifted members of our 2002 Cantigas cast. Please join our international guest artists as we revisit the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian roots of our yearend celebrations, in a movement of collective joy.

And our spring production, New Britain, first presented by Camerata in 1976 for the bicentennial year, shows how the music and civilization of “Old Europe”, transformed by our experiences in America, was, and still is, part of us and who we are. Songs, hymns, and dances of early America are presented side by side with their European “ancestors”. Said the Parisian critic of Le Monde. : “Of America such as this, we need more.”

So please come and celebrate with us. Help us spread the vital energy of these precious repertoires far and wide! I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming performances.

Joel Cohen

Music Director

CAMERATA TRIUMPHS IN PARIS, NEW YORK AND BOSTON
WITH "ROMAN DE FAUVEL"

Our April production of the famous "Roman de Fauvel" was inspired by a return invitation to the Cité de la Musique in Paris. There, Camerata musicians once again scored a major hit with the Paris concert-going public. Along with our performance of this acerbic medieval satire, an exhibit of medieval musical documents had been organized right within the walls of the Cité, including the original, and priceless, "Fauvel" manuscript itself. This extraordinary event was the subject of an extensive write-up in "Le Monde" (as well as a poster campaign in the Paris Metro). A few days later, audiences in New York and Boston got to enjoy the production -- minus, alas, the manuscript, which had to stay behind its glass case in Paris.

Camerata's next trip abroad will be taking place in October -- more on that project soon.

Tim Evans (Vain Glory), Michael Collver (Fauvel), and Anne Azéma (Dame Fortune) performing in Paris

CAMERATA HIGHLIGHTS OF 2004

There was lots of music to remember in the year just gone by.....Not everything in the “big” world out there was to our liking, but in our the muses regularly showered us with their favors and graces, enabling us to soothe the stresses from those external events with something like a healing balm.

February Joel Cohen’s first trip to Helsinki to work with the Tero Saarinen Dance Company.   The thrill of discovering a plucky, independent “sister” ensemble, doing cutting-edge work in a related field -- and the discovery, in the far North of Europe, of what it means to get REALLY cold.

March Joel and Anne Azéma participate in a conference on early Jewish music in a remote village of southern Italy. We see the places where Obadiah the Proselyte grew up, meet some of the most hospitable people on the planet, and eat way too much pasta. Jennifer Kyte joins the Camerata team as Executive Director and the rest of us all cheer.

April Fauvel lives!   The medieval satire about an evil horse, symbol of political and moral corruption, tours Paris, Boston, and New York.   At the Paris venue, the original Fauvel manuscript is on display a few feet from the stage where we perform.    After the Boston performance, a neat party kicks off Camerata’s fiftieth anniversary celebration.  

May We perform Elizabethan music for the excellent Gilmore Keyboard Festival in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Francie Fitch distinguishes herself with virtuoso solo work on organ and harpsichord.

August In the medieval village of St. Guilhem le Desert, we celebrate the Saint’s life with a special program recounting his military exploits, conversion, and joust with the Devil. The audience sings along, happy to know that in this case, the good guy won.

September The annual workshop in Coaraze, France brings another fine crop of young professionals into contact with the medieval song of Provence, France, and Spain.   On another note, Camerata brings early American spirituals to a series of enthusiastic audiences in Normandy.

October Tero Saarinen’s intense, personal vision of the religious life is danced to Camerata’s singing during two exceptional and intense performances in Le Havre, France.   “Borrowed Light”, as the production is called, is scheduled for numerous further performances in 2005.

November The 50th Anniversary Season begins with an unusual-for-Camerata but highly relevant work.   Kurt Weill’s 1936 musical “Johnny Johnson”, about a young American soldier who comes to grief during World War I, is presented in Camerata’s production by the Fleet Celebrity Series.   Coming just a few days after the intensely fought presidential campaign, the performance generates palpable emotion both in the hall and onstage.   Our much larger-than-usual cast outdoes itself; among others, veteran soloist Don Wilkinson excels as Johnny.

Later in the month, Camerata makes its London début at historic Stationer’s Hall, in the “Roman de Fauvel.” Michael Collver is once again the Horse of Ages, and the very upscale London crowd whinnies back its approval.

December We are reunited in good fellowship with most of the members of the 2000 U.S. “Cantigas” tour.    An extraordinary series of concerts results as musicians from the U.S., U.K., Spain, France, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, and Egypt meld their talents to bring the roots of Christmas music back to life.  

Then, on Christmas Day, in Cologne, Germany, the original “Cantigas” production plays before 1,300 people at Philharmonic Hall.   Our friends and colleagues from Morocco, most of who were shamefully barred from entry into the U.S. in 2000, are once again united with us onstage, and that is cause for rejoicing. Another cause is the presence of our London “angel” Annick as road manager.   A beautiful end to our year of music.

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