2011-2012 SEASON
La Follia presents: The (Baroque) Sopranos
Hey, Tony Soprano got nuttin' on this: Three of Austin's most talented and beautiful sopranos, backed by the La Follia Baroque Ensemble, sing bravura arias by George Frederic Handel. Jenifer Thyssen, Gitanjali Mathur, and Meredith Ruduski, in full diva regalia, star in this gala event. Come for the glorious music, come for the vocal fireworks, come for the pretty ladies, come for the dresses….who cares? It's all good. And nobody gets whacked!
Saturday, September 3, 8:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
Sunday, September 4, 3:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
Tickets: $20/$15/$10
An 'Angel'-ic Concert with Countertenor Ryland Angel
If you haven't yet heard the remarkable sound of the countertenor voice, here's your chance to hear one of the best. Internationally recorded, and Grammy-nominated countertenor Ryland Angel joins La Follia in an intimate concert of early Baroque music, much of it composed as a tribute to Mary, mother of Jesus. Accompanied by exotic early Baroque instruments like the gamba and theorbo, the sound is haunting and deeply moving. Hear why the countertenor was the rock star of the Renaissance and Baroque, the effect no less potent today as it was then.
November 5, 8:00 pm
St. Louis Catholic Church
7601 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas • map
November 6, 3:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
Tickets: $20/$15/$10
Return of the Herd of Harpsichords
Last year's "Bach's Herd of Harpsichords" drew record crowds and earned an Austin Critic's Table nomination for best chamber music performance of the year. Well, there's more where that came from. La Follia performs more of Bach's concertos for two and three harpsichords. And this time we'll throw in his Triple Concerto for flute, violin and harpsichord for good measure. Director Keith Womer, JiMin Kim, Jeffrey Jones-Ragona, Marcus McGuff, and Boel Gidholm are backed by the La Follia Baroque Ensemble. Last year we said you wouldn't hear a concert like this again. We lied. This time we mean it.
January 7, 8:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
January 8, 3:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
Tickets: $20/$15/$10
The Art of Baroque Dance
Ballet fans (and everyone else), don't miss this! In what might be a first for Austin, La Follia welcomes Baroque dancing stars Paige Whitley-Bauguess and Thomas Baird. Backed by the La Follia Baroque Ensemble, they will perform dances using authentic Baroque dance styles and costumes. Experience the art that was performed (quite capably) by no less a personage than King Louis XIV himself. After this performance, your trip to the dance hall will never feel quite the same again.
February 11, 8:00 pm
Northwest Hills Methodist Church
7050 Village Center Drive, Austin, Texas • map
February 12, *7:00 pm*
Northwest Hills Methodist Church
7050 Village Center Drive, Austin, Texas • map
Tickets: $25/$20/$10
*Note higher prices*
Chamber of Delights
In this concert, La Follia returns to its roots as an intimate Baroque chamber ensemble. We perform exquisite works for 3-6 players by Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann, and Rameau. As a bonus, we will explain the exotic instruments we play, none of which has an exact modern counterpart, as well as backgrounds on the composers. Hey, we’re professional Baroque artists; we know how to play this stuff right!
March 24, 8:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
March 25, 3:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
Tickets: $20/$15/$10
Yankee Baroque: Music in America at the time of the Revolution
Prepare to be amazed by the raw beauty of the original music of Colonial America. La Follia performs spirited ballads and choral tunes from "Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music," as well as American dance music and selections from Jefferson's music library (he was an accomplished harpsichordist). We close with America's first oratorio: "The Temple of Minerva," with libretto by Francis Hopkinson. It was performed for Washington and the French during the depths of the War, and set...to English music! Take a break from the familiar patriotic re-treads, and be inspired by the real thing.
June 30, 8:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
8001 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas • map
July 1, *7:00 pm*
First Presbyterian Church
1100 Carter Creek Parkway, Bryan, Texas • map
Tickets: $20/$15/$10 (in Austin); free (in Bryan)