Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Boston Early Music Festival returns to the Berkshires with two chamber operas by the great German Baroque composer Telemann—June 27 & 28
Great Barrington, MA – A tradition for more than twenty years, BEMF follows its triumphant Festival week in Boston with a weekend of performances in the Berkshires at the splendid Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington. The GRAMMY Award-winning Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Opera Series will present two encore performances of a double-bill of chamber operas by Georg Philipp Telemann, Pimpinone and Ino, on Friday, June 27, 2025 at 8pm and Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 3pm at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Tickets ($25–$85) are available now through the Boston Early Music Festival Box Office at BEMF.org or 617-661-1812 and from the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Box Office at mahaiwe.org or 413-528-0100. BEMF will also bring the production to the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York on Sunday, June 29, 2023 at 4pm. Tickets ($79–$119) are on sale now at caramoor.org or 914-232-1252.
Explore the depth of Telemann’s genius with a fascinating pairing of stylish slapstick and scintillating drama for a double bill of show-stopping virtuosity! Inspired by Italian comic intermezzi, Pimpinone approaches social class and seduction with brilliant humor and evocative humanity as the narcissistic Pimpinone is stung by the beauty and barbs of his charming chambermaid, Vespetta. The cantata Ino is a true hidden gem with a thrilling story drawn from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Written late in Telemann’s life, this miniature masterpiece is a bridge between the Baroque and Classical eras, full of dynamic theatricality and gorgeous music.
This magnificent production is brought to life by the all-star BEMF Vocal and Chamber Ensembles with gorgeous costumes and elegant period staging. Led by BEMF’s GRAMMY-winning Musical Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs and Stage Directors Gilbert Blin and Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière, the directorial team also features Orchestra Director Robert Mealy, Choreographer Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière, Costume Designers Gilbert Blin & WERIEM, Lighting Designer Kelly Martin, and Executive Producer Kathleen Fay. The magnificent cast features soprano Amanda Forsythe as Ino, bass-baritone Christian Immler as Pimpinone, soprano Danielle Reutter-Harrah as Vespetta, and dancer Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière alongside the 19-member BEMF Chamber Ensemble.
RESOURCES
Press Images: http://bemf.org/2025-festival-press/
ABOUT THE BOSTON EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Recognized as the preeminent early music presenter and Baroque opera producer in North America, the Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF) has been credited with securing Boston’s reputation as “America’s early music capital” (The Boston Globe). Founded in 1981, BEMF offers diverse programs and activities, including one GRAMMY Award–winning and five GRAMMY Award–nominated opera recordings, an annual concert series that brings early music’s brightest stars to the Boston concert stage, and a biennial week-long Festival and Exhibition recognized as the “world’s leading festival of early music” (The Times, London). The 23rd Boston Early Music Festival will take place from June 8 to 15, 2025, and will feature a fully staged production of Reinhard Keiser’s Octavia. BEMF’s Artistic Leadership includes Artistic Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs, Opera Director Gilbert Blin, Orchestra Director Robert Mealy, and Dance Director Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière.
The Boston Early Music Festival is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Constellation Charitable Foundation, and WCRB Classical Radio Boston, as well as a number of generous foundations and individuals from around the world.
For more information, images, press tickets, or to schedule an interview, please contact Kathleen Fay at 617-661-1812 or email kathy@bemf.org.
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