A gray-haired conductor holds a silver-tipped conducting baton to the corner of his mouth.

Resident Company

Minkowski Conducts

Music of the Baroque

Performances

Jan 25

Performance Run Time: Approximately 2 hours

Music of the Baroque Orchestra
Marc Minkowski, conductor

HANDEL Concerto Grosso in F Major, op. 3, no. 4, HWV 315
RAMEAU Suite from Les Boréades
MOZART Symphony No. 41 in C Major (Jupiter), K.551

Renowned French conductor Marc Minkowski makes his Music of the Baroque debut with music by three orchestral gods—Handel, Rameau, and Mozart. Handel’s concerto grosso originally belonged to a lost “magic opera,” while the Greek god Apollo is the hero in Rameau’s Suite from Les Boréades. And the sheer power of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony—his final orchestral work—prompted the connection to the Roman god of the sky.

A woman with red hair smiles and holds a violin.

Currently celebrating its 54th season, Music of the Baroque’s professional chorus and orchestra is one of the leading ensembles in the country devoted to 18th-century music. The ensemble has drawn particular praise for its performances of the major works of Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Haydn. The Chicago Sun-Times writes, “Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra may be the big guys on the local classical music scene, but in terms of sheer quality of performance…Music of the Baroque inhabits the same stratosphere.” Music of the Baroque supports and enhances music education programs at Chicago public high schools through its "Strong Voices" program, and offers free community concerts at venues such as the Kehrein Center for the Arts in Austin.