John Butt conductor
Julia Doyle soprano
Meg Bragle mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Mulroy tenor
Matthew Brook bass
Choir of the Enlightenment

Rejoice! Exhault! So begins Bach's timeless masterpiece the Christmas Oratorio, and what better way to enjoy the most joyous and sumptuous Christmas music ever written, than in the hands of the OAE and their superlative choir, the Choir of the Enlightenment.

An operatic expression of faith, this colossal tour de force is made up of a collection of six cantatas (tonight the OAE performs parts 1,3, 4 and 6), each celebrating a different day of Christmas between Christmas day and Epiphany. One minute brash and triumphant, the next calm and meditative, the familiar stories are played out amongst moments of exquisite musical contemplation. In the hands of one of the world's foremost Bach scholars and musicologists, John Butt, the piece breathes life and passion, a sincere and heart-felt celebration of the composer's deep devotion to his beliefs.

'The OAE played with customary vigour and distinction, and in total unity with the singers.' The Independent

oae.co.uk