Murcia’s Old Chapel and Baroque Orchestra specializes in early music and was established in 2014. This Thursday at 19.00 a performance titled Ab Aeterno: give your heart in ADDA inside the loop almantiga will be presented.
The ensemble, guided by Spanish-French composer Albert Alcaraz from Alicante, offers a program centered on Johann Sebastian Bach. It features two cantatas designed for baritone-bass and orchestra: Ich habe genung and Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen. The group also performs instrumental works by Scarlatti, including Alessandro and Domenico, father and son, as well as Handel’s Saul Overture HWV 53 related to George Frideric Handel.
The concert will showcase the voice of Lorca bass-baritone José Antonio López, a prominent figure among Murcia’s lyrical artists, with a collaboration that will take them to different parts of Spain.
Formation
Murcia’s Old Chapel and Baroque Orchestra began in 2014 as a collective of singers and instrumentalists devoted to ancient music. Its members include soloists from prestigious ensembles across Spain and Europe. Over the years the ensemble has performed in various halls, auditoriums, and festivals in Spain and Europe. CD projects include Music in the Kingdoms of Valencia and Murcia, a collection of unpublished 16th to 18th century works by authors such as Cotes, Pérez, Tello, Escobedo, Montserrate, Escorihuela, Ochando, Furió, Acuña, and Raval.
Baritone José Antonio López
A student of Ana Luisa Chova, López has performed in major concert halls across Spain and Europe. He has appeared in festivals and cycles at venues such as the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, and the Osterklang Festival in Vienna. The Berwaldhallen in Stockholm and the Religious Music Week in Sweden have also hosted him, including Cuenca’s cycle. His versatility spans baroque, classical, romantic, and contemporary repertoire. His concert programs include Bach, Mozart, and works by Montsalvatge. López has produced numerous recordings for television, radio, and CD releases with Deutsche Grammophon, and has premiered works by several renowned composers. He has collaborated with eminent conductors like Lorin Maazel, Sir Neville Marriner, Ivor Bolton, Juanjo Mena, Josep Pons, and Gustavo Dudamel.
Directed by Albert Alcaraz
Albert Alcaraz, a Spanish-French conductor and composer, has trained with notable teachers and collaborated with many ensembles and choirs. He has worked with mentors such as Elena Obratszova, Marimí del Pozo, Isabel Penagos, John Duxbury, José Peris, Andrew Parrot, Ton Koopman, Emmanuel Krivine, Riccardo Muti, Marcus Creed, and Michel Custos. He often collaborates with diverse orchestras and choirs and considers teaching collaborations a privilege. His career includes initiatives with Nir Kabaretti, Ottavio Dantone, Gianluca Capuano, Yves Abel, Stefano Ranzani, Michail Jurowski, Jesús López Cobos, Conxita García, Miquel Ortega, Josep Pons, Michael Schønwandt, Danielle Gatti, and Riccardo Chailly. Performances have taken place in major houses such as Operahouse of Zurich, Grand Theatre of Geneva, Teatro dell’Opera di Rome, Opéra de Lyon, and many others across Europe. His work is heard on stages in Spain, the USA, Germany, France, Ireland, and Slovenia. He serves as artistic director of the Ancient Chapel and Baroque Orchestra of Murcia and Les Plaisirs du Roi. He has published several books and recorded many albums.