Newport Classical celebrates the season with two weekends of holiday programs in December – Messiah at the Mansion featuring Ensemble Altera and The Choir School of Newport County in two performances on Sunday, December 4 at 1 pm and 3:30 pm at Rosecliff (548 Bellevue Ave.), and Classical Christmas at Emmanuel on Saturday, December 10 at 3 pm at Emmanuel Church (42 Dearborn St.), which concludes with sing-along carols and a festive reception.
Messiah at the Mansion on December 4 features Handel’s iconic oratorio Messiah performed by Rhode Island’s fast-rising Ensemble Altera, led by Christopher Lowrey, and the Professional Choristers of The Choir School of Newport County, led by Peter Berton. Audiences will enjoy a boldly reimagined chamber version of this timeless classic, including the famous “Hallelujah Chorus,” surrounded by the splendor of Rosecliff mansion. Newport Classical is proud to present the second year of this new, annual holiday tradition, perfect for the whole family. Messiah at the Mansion is sponsored by Cynthia Sinclair through her generous support of The Choir School of Newport County.
Classical Christmas at Emmanuel on December 10 is a community celebration, featuring classical Christmas repertoire performed by Emmanuel Church Director of Music and Events Randy Elkins, conductor and organ; Newport Classical Board President Suzanna Laramee, piano; Lucas Swanson, trumpet; with vocalists (and sisters) Meaghan Kelly Brower, Alison Kelly Hosford, and Kate Kelly Longo;and the Emmanuel Church Choir. The collaborative performance will conclude with sing-along carols and a joyous reception hosted by the Parishioners of Emmanuel Church.
Up next on Newport Classical’s Chamber Series, the Parker Quartet performs at Recital Hall at Emmanuel Church on Friday, November 4, in a concert featuring Beethoven’s Op. 18, No. 4; Caroline Shaw’s Valencia; and Bartok’s String Quartet No. 5. The New York Times has described the Parker as, “something extraordinary,” while The Washington Post has praised the ensemble’s “exceptional virtuosity [and] imaginative interpretation.” On February 17, Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Martinez performs selections by historical and living composers including Caroline Shaw and Viet Cuong, plus Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, among others. Virtuoso 25-year-old violinist Randall Goosby will perform alongside pianist Ann Han on March 10, blending traditional and 20th century works of Beethoven, Grant Still, Ravel and Boulanger. Cellist Thomas Mesa and pianist Ilya Yakushev perform a program on April 21 that unites the music of Bach and Rachmaninoff with contemporary works by Lera Auerbach and Kevin Day. On May 19, the Kenari Quartet showcases the stylistic versatility of the saxophone in a program that features the music of Bach, Mendelssohn, Jennifer Higdon, and David Maslanka. Then on June 9, violinist William Hagen will conclude the 2022-23 Chamber Series with a program featuring rarely heard works by Louise Farrenc, Clara Schumann, Harry Thacker Burleigh, and more. The 2023 Newport Classical Music Festival is slated for July 4-23, 2023 with programming to be announced in late March.
For Newport Classical’s complete concert calendar, visit www.newportclassical.org/concerts.
Health & Safety
The safety of Newport Classical’s audience, musicians, staff, and volunteers continues to be the top priority, and with this in mind, the following precautions are currently in place, in line with industry best practices for indoor performances. Anyone attending a Chamber Series concert will need to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination OR a negative PCR test taken in the prior 72 hours or antigen test taken in the prior 6 hours. Proof of vaccination or testing must be presented at time of entry.
In accordance with CDC and state guidelines, masks are no longer required, but recommended for indoor concerts. Newport Classical’s COVID-19 protocols remain subject to change and NC reserves the right to implement a masking requirement if cases begin to surge in Rhode Island. Any changes will be communicated to ticket holders in advance of their performance.
About Newport Classical:
Newport Classical is a premier performing arts organization that welcomes people of every age, culture, and background to intimate, immersive musical experiences. The organization presents world-renowned and up-and-coming artistic talents at stunning, storied venues across Newport – an internationally sought-after cultural and recreational destination.
Originally founded in 1969 as Rhode Island Arts Foundation at Newport, Inc. and previously known as Newport Music Festival (NMF), Newport Classical has a rich legacy of musical curiosity presenting the American debuts of over 130 international artists and rarely heard works and is most well-known for hosting three weeks of concerts in the summer in the historic mansions throughout Newport and Aquidneck Island. The organization has produced more than 2,000 concerts and hosted more than 1,000 musicians and singers. In 2021, the organization launched a new commissioning initiative – each year, Newport Classical will commission a new work by a Black, Indigenous, person of color, or woman composer as a commitment to the future of classical music.
Newport Classical is proud to be an essential pillar of New England’s cultural landscape, and to invest in the future of classical music as a diverse, relevant, and ever-evolving art form. Newport Classical’s four core programming initiatives – the iconic summer Music Festival taking place across Newport; the year-round Chamber Series at the organization’s home base Newport Classical Recital Hall at Emmanuel Church in downtown Newport; the free family-friendly Community Concerts held in green spaces around Aquidneck Island; and its newly expanded Music Education Residency program – illustrate the organization’s ongoing commitment to presenting “timeless music for today.”