Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival

The Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival (previously named Vancouver Bach Festival) brings together more than 60 artists from around the globe and includes one special event and 11 concerts, including one by donation concert at St. James Community Square. 

Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival

• When: July 27 to August 5, 2023
• Where:  Various venues including SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Christ Church Cathedral, Pyatt Hall, The Orpheum Annex, West Vancouver United Church, and St. James Community Square 
• Tickets: Available online now, starting at $19

The theme of the 2023 Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival is WOMENinSIGHT – celebrating women composers, librettists, and performers of the past and present. Inspired by Christine de Pizan (1364-ca.1430) – the revolutionary writer who questioned the centuries-old treatment of women and their prescribed place and role in society – WOMENinSIGHT explores the impact and the role of women throughout history via a musical lens. 

Win Tickets

I have a pair of tickets to give away to the World Premiere, opening night of The Queen of Carthage (July 27 at 8:00pm at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts). Here’s how you can enter to win:

Event Lineup

Special Event: Rondeau in Carthage
July 27 at 6:00pm at Nuba Gastown and SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts 

Join EMV and special guests for a sumptuous Middle-Eastern dinner followed by the world premiere of The Queen of Carthage – the new interdisciplinary performance opera co-produced by Early Music Vancouver and re:Naissance Opera. VIP tickets to this event include dinner with musical accompaniment, an auction of exclusive items, the best seats in the house to the performance, and a post-performance chat with the opera’s artists. Only 100 tickets available and are on sale now. 

Opening Concert – World Premiere of The Queen of Carthage
July 27 at 8:00pm at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts 
A seamless blend of Baroque and contemporary song and dance, this interdisciplinary performance is a powerful reclamation of the story of Dido, The Queen of Carthage, and her legacy as a political leader, an empire builder and a woman of colour. This operatic performance created by re:Naissance Opera features Canadian soprano Cecilia Duarte as Dido and three new works by contemporary composers Jessica McMann, Robyn Jacob and Afarin Mansouri, along with those of Baroque composers Henry Purcell and John Dowland. The project places Dido through a prism in which her story as a multifaceted leader, lover and outcast are shown in their fullness. 

Our City of Ladies
August 1 at 7:30pm at Christ Church Cathedral 
Founded and directed by Catalina Vicens, Servir Antico breathes new life into European vocal and instrumental music from the age of Renaissance Humanism.

The Bach Parodies
August 2 at 1:00pm at Christ Church Cathedral 
This program pays homage to Bach, showcasing an eclectic variety of Bach-inspired musical parodies. Conceived by Jessica Korotkin (cello and director) and featuring cellist Diederik van Dijk, this concert includes works by J.S. Bach, Mozart, Gounod, and Korotkin. 

The Ladies Vespers
August 2 at 7:00pm at Christ Church Cathedral 
This music abounds with all the inventiveness, refinement, and energy of the age of Monteverdi. Directed by Alexander Weimann and featuring Nadine Balbiesi, Lieselot De Wilde, Myriam Leblanc, Jane Long, and Ellen Torrie (sopranos); Liz Hamel, Emma Parkinson, Vicki St. Pierre, and Krisztina Szabo (altos); along with members of Elektra Women’s Choir and EMV Festival Players. 

… and many more! Check out the full schedule of events online here. Follow Early Music Vancouver on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

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