(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center will present three special concert events on December 13-15, showcasing a world of musical range and styles to celebrate the best of the holiday season. On December 13, McCarter hosts The Tallis Scholars at Richardson Auditorium with Reflections, a special holiday program of acapella Renaissance sacred music, co-presented with The Princeton Singers. On December 13 and 14, McCarter’s Berlind Theatre is home to a holiday program from Catherine Russell and John Pizzarelli.
The Tallis Scholars; Peter Phillips, director -Friday, December 13 at 8:00pm in Richardson Auditorium. The Tallis Scholars have spent fifty years celebrating and revealing the beauty of the unaccompanied human voice—the original instrument. Their reign as the gold standard of Renaissance sacred music is unchallenged, and they return for the first time since 2011 in a special holiday program Reflections. Many of the works celebrate the Virgin Mary, and the composers represented include Poulenc, Allegri, Tallis, Messiaen, Byrd, and Victoria’s Magnificat for Double Choir.
About the return of The Tallis Scholars, McCarter’s Special Programming Director William W. Lockwood remarked: “As a former choral singer, I have a soft spot in my heart for a cappella singing groups, which is one of the reasons that they have regularly been part of McCarter’s music series. I admit to being a fan of Princeton’s own Princeton Singers, and I’m delighted that they have agreed to co-sponsor this concert with us to welcome their English colleagues.
The history of The Tallis Scholars goes back to the days of The Deller Consort, which was part of McCarter’s first music series in 1964, and has continued through the years with the legacy that the great countertenor Alfred Deller created, including regular visitors like The King’s Singers and America’s own Chanticleer. Their December 13th concert at Richardson Auditorium is aptly subtitled Reflections, focusing on music celebrating the Virgin Mary. Starting with Gregorian Chants, it comprises a “who’s who” of composers ranging from Poulenc and Messiaen, to the great masters of the genre, like Allegri, Cornysh, and of course, their namesake Thomas Tallis himself. The program culminates with the Magnificat for Double Choir by Victoria, whose anthems and motets I used to sing regularly on Sunday mornings with the Chapel Choir when I was a student at Princeton. We don’t hear enough of his music, and after hearing this, you will want to hear more.” This performance will take place at Richardson Auditorium and is a co-presentation with The Princeton Singers.
Catherine Russell and John Pizzarelli; Billie and Blue Eyes - Friday and Saturday, December 13 and 14 at 8:00pm in the Berlind Theatre. These two premier interpreters of jazz standards and the “great American songbook” return for two “holiday nights” with a program continuing their tribute to Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday.
McCarter Theatre is located at 91 University Place in Princeton, New Jersey.
Under the leadership of award-winning playwright and Artistic Director Emily Mann, Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg, and Special Programming Director William W. Lockwood, McCarter’s mission is to create world-class theater and present the finest artists for the community’s engagement, education, and entertainment. Winner of the 1994 Tony Award® for Outstanding Regional Theatre, world premieres include Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (2013 Tony® – Best Play); Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays; Emily Mann’s Having Our Say; and Danai Gurira’s The Convert. Upcoming productions for 2020 include Rachel Bonds’ Goodnight Nobody; Anthony Shaffer’s murder mystery, Sleuth; and Nathan Alan Davis’ The Refuge Plays. McCarter brings artists from around the world to Princeton, New Jersey including Zakir Hussain, Gregory Porter, Roseanne Cash, and more. Education and outreach efforts serve tens of thousands through student matinees, in-school residencies, and adult classes.
McCarter is supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Princeton University, and over 2,000 individuals, corporations, community leaders, and foundations. The 2019-2020 Music and Signature Series are supported by the Edward T. Cone Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies, respectively.
