On Friday, September 23 at 7:30 pm, Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston begins its 2022-23 season with an exultant concert in Zilkha Hall featuring eight solo singers and a colorful Baroque orchestra. The season opener “Hail, Bright Cecilia!” celebrates the legacy of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, by spotlighting two splendid Cecilian odes by Henry Purcell, alongside George Frideric Handel’s spirited Concerto in C Major from Alexander’s Feast.

Artistic Director Matthew Dirst notes that he is “delighted to be revisiting a couple of favorite Purcell odes that celebrate the wonders of music. We all need reminding occasionally why we make music, and these pieces speak directly to that issue with evocative poetry and colorful sonorities.”

This jubilant concert sets the tone for a season full of brilliant singing. “Hail, Bright Cecilia!” features a roster of eight singers including Jay Carter, a “superb countertenor” (New York Times), baritone Christopher Besch, “a rich resonance of deep bass sound” (DC Theatre Scene), and Cecilia Duarte, “a creamy voiced mezzo-soprano” (New York Times), among other impressive rising stars.

Soloist Jay Carter speaks highly of the programmed music, “There’s something distinct about how Purcell’s music speaks and sings that is, for me at least, a perfect balance of heightened speech and melody, and playful graciousness to the musicians. These two Odes are just about my favorite things I’ve ever encountered, and an enormous part of what makes singing and collaborating with groups like Ars Lyrica so special.”

For the first time since pre-pandemic, Ars Lyrica Houston is bringing back its post-concert reception for subscribers on Zilkha Hall stage. For more information about subscriptions and exclusive benefits for subscribers, please visit our website here: https://www.arslyricahouston.org/2223tickets. More information about “Hail, Bright Cecilia!” is available here: https://www.arslyricahouston.org/cecilia.