Monteverdi "Vespro di Natale"

Monteverdi: L’incoronazione di Poppea

Claudio Monteverdi's final opera, "L'incoronazione di Poppea," captivates with expressive, multifaceted music. A first-class cast and the renowned Cappella Mediterranea under Leonardo García Alarcón bring this early Baroque masterpiece to life. Poppea Sabina, the most beautiful woman in Rome, does everything to become Empress alongside Emperor Nerone. Power and passion are at the center of Monteverdi's opera about this woman. The audience is captivated by the concert performance of this impressive Dramma per musica.

Monteverdi Testamento

Ensemble Le Poème harmonique, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, performs Monteverdi’s Selva morale e spirituale, his artistic testament in the religious music repertoire.

Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine

It takes some confidence to dedicate a sacred work personally to the Pope. But Claudio Monteverdi was keen to reach as large an audience as possible when he published his »Vespro della Beata Vergine« in 1610. With the work, he sought to express all the facets of his compositional prowess, and the »Vespers for the Blessed Virgin« remains one of the greatest works of sacred music to this day. In 13 movements, Monteverdi demonstrates his mastery and his ability to integrate all the contrasting stylistic influences of his time into one diverse whole. The six-strong Flemish instrumental ensemble Les Cornets Noirs specialises in the music of Monteverdi’s time. Together with the singers of the Delectus Cantionum ensemble, they present a historically informed and musically expressive performance of this legendary work.

Weihnachten mit den Wiener Sänger­knaben

The Vienna Boys' Choir, a Viennese musical institution since 1498 and an important Austrian cultural symbol, will present their Essen Christmas concert. The boys, aged 10 to 14, will perform traditional songs ("Tochter Zion"), international classics ("Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"), pieces from Britten's "A Ceremony of Carols," and Saint-Saëns' French Christmas oratorio. Austrian gems like Joseph Haydn's choral pieces, "Silent Night," and a South Tyrolean yodel will also be featured. The Vienna Boys' Choir performs together with the ensemble Les Essences.

Il Pomo d'Oro Choir Gesualdo "Sacrae Cantiones"

The world-renowned Baroque ensemble Il Pomo d'Oro's choir returns to Essen Philharmonie with a new a cappella project. After their acclaimed performances of "Theodora" and "Dido and Aeneas", they now present Gesualdo's "Sacrae Cantiones". Known for his secular madrigals, Gesualdo's sacred songs are equally unique, expressing his eccentric personality and troubled marriage through unusual harmonies and intense emotion. The concert will also feature Gabrieli's "Exultavit cor meum" as an encore.

Zum Mitsingen: "Weih­nachts­oratorium"

Why sing familiar melodies alone at home? Join us for a festive sing-along with professional support! Christmas is a time for togetherness, and what better way to experience community than through singing? The Essen Philharmonic invites you to sing along to Bach's "Christmas Oratorio". The audience becomes the choir, accompanied by an orchestra and soloists. Whether you sing or listen, you're welcome!

Monteverdi-Chor Hamburg / lauttencompagney Berlin / Antonius Adamske

Who doesn’t know the Eurovision anthem with the opening bars of Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s »Te Deum«! The renowned Monteverdi Choir Hamburg, together with soloists and the lautten compagney Berlin under the direction of Antonius Adamske, presents the entire work in its original historical sound – with timpani and trumpets.

Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists / Peter Whelan

The Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists present »Israel in Egypt«, one of George Frideric Handel’s most famous oratorios. The key protagonist is not a solo part, but the choir that represents the long-suffering Israelites. Luckily, the Monteverdi Choir is one of the best in the world – and an emotionally moving and musically formidable concert evening is in store. Next to his ubiquitous »Messiah«, Handel’s 24 other oratorios don’t have it easy, although »Israel in Egypt« is relatively well known. Which is no wonder considering how Handel packaged the story of the enslaved Israelites’ exodus from ancient Egypt as a musical crime drama. Although originally conceived for the concert hall, the oratorio is so full of drama that it is also regularly performed on the operatic stage.

Selva morale e spirituale de Claudio Monteverdi

English Baroque Soloists / Monteverdi Choir / Christophe Rousset

Please note the change of artist: The Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists announced the stepping down of conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner in July after 60 years of collaboration. In Gardiner’s place, the French baroque specialist Christophe Rousset now conducts this concert. The »Messe de Minuit« by Marc-Antoine Charpentier with ten old French Christmas carols follows the country’s tradition of celebrating the good news with dancing vigour and great cheerfulness. With the two following Bach cantatas, composed for the Christmas season in Leipzig’s Thomaskirche, the ensembles return to their core repertoire. They performed all 200 cantatas by the baroque master within a year – nothing if not a mammoth project! Sir John Eliot Gardiner performs with his newly founded ensembles in the Elbphilharmonie on 7 December. Anyone wishing to switch from 14 to 7 December due to the change in line-up can return tickets already purchased.