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Boston Early Music Festival

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The Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF) is universally recognized as a leader in the field of early music. Founded in 1980 by leading practitioners of historical performance in the United States and abroad. BEMF promotes early music through an annual Concert Series bringing early music's brightest stars to the Boston concert stage, and the biennial week-long Boston Early Festival & Exhibition recognized as "the world's leading festival of early music" (The Times. London). Recently, BEMF initiated a project to record all of its past and current groundbreaking Baroque operas. BEMF's first opera CD of Conradi's Ariadne (CPO) was met with highpraise and garnered a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. Its second CD, a recording of Lully's Thésée (CPO), was released at the June 2007 Boston Early Music Festival, and received a 2007 Grammy nomination for Best Opera Recording; incredibly, BEMF's third (of three!) opera CDs, Lully's Psyché (CPO), released in May of 2008, received a Grammy nomination for Best Opera Recording of 2008.

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Contact Info

    Boston Early Music Festival

    161 First Street
    Suite 202
    Cambridge, MA 02142

    Phone: 617-661-1812   |   Fax: 617-661-1816   |   Email   |   Official Website

  • Current Events

    There are no current events available for this organization at this time.

  • Upcoming Events

    There are no upcoming events available for this organization at this time.

• Current &
  Upcoming Events

  • Current Events

    There are no current events available for this organization at this time.

  • Upcoming Events

    There are no upcoming events available for this organization at this time.

• Past
  Events

  • Past Events

    04/27/12	The Flanders Recorder Quartet: Reclaiming Bach for the Recorder Sanders Theatre
    03/31/12	The Tallis Scholars: The Field of Cloth of Gold- Music of Jean Mouton and William Cornysh St. Paul Church, Cambridge
    02/10/12	Richard Egarr: The Harpsichord’s Golden Century- Music of Couperin, Blow, Froberger, and Purcell First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
    02/05/12	Europa Galante: New Faces and Old- Music of Brioschi, Haydn, Scaccia, Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel Sanders Theatre
    01/28/12	Tragicomedia: Early Handel Cantatas First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
    12/17/11	Stile Antico
    11/26/11- 11/27/11	BEMF Charpentier Chamber Opera Series NEC's Jordan Hall
    11/05/11	Apollo's Fire with Philippe Jaroussky: Handel and Vivaldi - Fireworks Emmanuel Church, Boston
    10/21/11	Dame Emma Kirby & Jakob Lindberg First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
    06/19/11	Mezzaluna NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/18/11	Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/17/11	Trio Settecento NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/15/11	Boston Camerata NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/15/11	Ensemble Lucidarium NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/13/11	Les Voix Baroques NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/12/11- 06/19/11	2011 Festival: Steffani's Niobe Cutler Majestic Theatre
    04/01/11	The Tallis Scholars St. Paul Church, Cambridge
    03/15/11	Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Sanders Theatre
    02/25/11	Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano Sanders Theatre
    02/19/11	Il Giardino Armonico Sanders Theatre
    01/14/11	Symphonie des Dragons First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
    11/27/10- 11/28/10	BEMF Chamber Opera: Purcell's Dido and Aeneas NEC's Jordan Hall
    10/15/10	Stile Antico St. Paul Church, Cambridge
    05/05/10	Jordi Savall with Hesperion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and Al Darwish: The Music of the History of Jerusalem Sanders Theatre
    03/27/10	The Tallis Scholars: Franco-Flemish Masters of the Renaissance St. Paul Church, Cambridge
    03/19/10	Les Folies Francoises: Great Parisian Masters Under Louis XV First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
    02/26/10	Vittorio Ghielmi and Luca Pianca: The Golden Age of the Viola da Gamba and the Lute First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
    01/30/10	Sequntia: The Rheingold Curse Sanders Theatre
    11/28/09	Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Opera: Handel's "Acis and Galatea" NEC's Jordan Hall
    10/23/09	Emma Kirkby and Jakob Lindberg: Music of Dowland and Purcell First Church in Cambridge, Congregational
    10/16/09	Blue Heron Renaissance Choir: Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks St. Paul Church, Cambridge
    06/14/09	Flanders Recorder Quartet: The Amorous Flute NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/13/09	Trio Hantai: Bach and his French Contemporaries NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/13/09	An Evening of Chamber Opera: Blow's Venus and Adonis & Charpentier's Acteon NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/13/09	Tragicomedia and Friends: The Many Sides of Love in Monteverdi's Madrigals NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/12/09	Organ Mini-Festival First Lutheran Church of Boston
    06/12/09	Stile Antico: Song of Songs - Sensuous Polyphony from the Courts of Renaissance Europe Emmanuel Church, Boston
    06/12/09	Ensemble Micrologus: Ballate, Madrigali, and Danze of the Italian Ars Nova Emmanuel Church, Boston
    06/12/09	Pieter Wispelwey, cello and Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano: Beethoven in Berlin NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/11/09	Keyboard Mini-Festival First Lutheran Church of Boston
    06/11/09	Erin Headley and Anne-Marie Lasla, violas da gamba with Kristian Bezuidenhout, harpsichord: Music of Ortiz, Frescobaldi, Dumont, Handel, and Marais NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/11/09	Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble: Music by Bach, Vivaldi, Zelenka, Telemann, and Graupner NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/11/09	Ricercar Consort: Music of Couperin, Marias, and Clérambault NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/10/09	Paul Leenhouts, recorder and Gabe Shuford, harpsichord & organ: Embellished Chansons and Madrigals NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/10/09	Pierre Hantai, harpsichord: Music of Domenico Scarlatti and Johann Sebastian Bach NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/10/09	Ensemble Micrologus: Amors, Amors - Landscapes of Love, Lost and Found from 15th-century Italian Courts NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/09/09	Ensemble Dialogos: Judith - A Biblical Story from Renaissance Croatia NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/08/09	Ensemble Zefiro: The Winds of the Serenissima NEC's Jordan Hall
    06/06/09- 06/14/09	Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA
    04/03/09	The Tallis Scholars St. Paul Church, Cambridge
    03/21/09	Petra Mullejans, violin, and Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano Paine Hall at Harvard Univ.
    02/14/09	Concerto Palatino Houghton Chapel, Wellesley College
    02/07/09	Sarasa Ensemble

• Video &
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• Media
  Reviews

  • Media Reviews

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• Member
  Reviews

  • Member Reviews

    • Event Name: Mezzaluna
      "Fabulous production of Baroque opera"
      Review posted by: Elizabeth Anker from Boston, MA, Jul 01, 2011
      

      I was extremely impressed with the production--and the music--of this Steffani opera. I have heard a lot of revivals of Baroque pieces, and this was top-rate. Especially fun to see the stagecraft,... Expand

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      I was extremely impressed with the production--and the music--of this Steffani opera. I have heard a lot of revivals of Baroque pieces, and this was top-rate. Especially fun to see the stagecraft, sets, costumes, etc. And the French countertenor was superb. Collapse

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    • Event Name: 2011 Festival: Steffani's Niobe
      "Niobe on Top"
      Review posted by: JK from Boston, MA USA, Jun 27, 2011
      

      Can't say enough positive things about Niobe although I'll be brief. A terrific show - not sure that it could be better: the music, singing, acting, direction, scenery, costumes....

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      Can't say enough positive things about Niobe although I'll be brief. A terrific show - not sure that it could be better: the music, singing, acting, direction, scenery, costumes....

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    • Event Name: Jordi Savall with Hesperion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and Al Darwish: The Music of the History of Jerusalem
      "Everyone else seemed enthralled"
      Review posted by: Cuttyhark from Boston MA USA, May 06, 2010
      

      I seemed to be in a minority of 1 that found the whole experience underwhelming. Too preachy, too slow, too long (3 hours), fanfares horribly loud and dischordant, too much spoken word. Too... Expand

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      I seemed to be in a minority of 1 that found the whole experience underwhelming. Too preachy, too slow, too long (3 hours), fanfares horribly loud and dischordant, too much spoken word. Too self-indulgent. Too repetitious. Relying too much on "so, what?" microscopic variations of pitch and tempo. Great for historical and religious interest, not entertaining, just a chore. But eveyone else stood up and applauded, so it must have been great, I guess. Collapse

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    • Event Name: Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea
      "Excellent Coronation of Poppea"
      Review posted by: Michael Willett from Winchester, MA, Jun 12, 2009
      

      I think this was an outstanding production. It was great to hear local favorites Amanda Forsythe, Stephanie Houtzeel (returning from Europe) and Deborah Renz-Moore again. I would have liked to try... Expand

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      I think this was an outstanding production. It was great to hear local favorites Amanda Forsythe, Stephanie Houtzeel (returning from Europe) and Deborah Renz-Moore again. I would have liked to try and get tickets to go again, but I thought it would be socially irresponsible to do so in view of very small seating capacity of this theatre. Going a second time would have deprived someone else from going the first time. Michael Willett Twitter: @michaelwillett http://www.willettcorpcomm.com Collapse

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    • Event Name: Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea
      "We left humming and very happy"
      Review posted by: music fan from Cambridge, MA USA, Jun 08, 2009
      

      This is the best Poppea I have ever seen. (I have seen 5 or 6 before.) It sets a new standard for the piece. The music is breathtaking; the costumes and sets are beautiful. The entire cast is... Expand

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      This is the best Poppea I have ever seen. (I have seen 5 or 6 before.) It sets a new standard for the piece. The music is breathtaking; the costumes and sets are beautiful. The entire cast is perfect in look, voice, and characterization. The care in staging and detail is gratifying. Many audience members at the end were humming the dazzling final aria. I totally recommend it for a fine night out. Collapse

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    • Event Name: Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea
      "Accurate but unstirring Poppea"
      Review posted by: opera fan from Boston MA USA, Jun 08, 2009
      

      This performance was more correct than inspiring. Previous operas mounted by the BEMF have had a far greater sense of adventure and flair. Nonetheless there were some fine voices, and one always... Expand

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      This performance was more correct than inspiring. Previous operas mounted by the BEMF have had a far greater sense of adventure and flair. Nonetheless there were some fine voices, and one always learns from these fully-staged productions. Collapse

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