Presented as a part of the 2024 Greyton Genadendal Classics for All Festival

Throughout its 20-year existence, the Cape Town Baroque Orchestra (CTBO) has invested significantly in the upskilling of its musicians in the playing of period instruments. In this concert, the CTBO will present a programme of concerti featuring CTBO string players as soloists, showcasing their hard work, dedication, acquired skills, and their love for the craft, as well as celebrating the fact that a good baroque orchestra consists of a collective of collaborative soloists!

The late baroque era (approximately 1680 to 1750) produced a wealth of expressive and exciting compositions for stringed instruments. CTBO baroque violinists and concertmasters, Annien Shaw and Ralitza Macheva, have selected works from well-known composers, such as Vivaldi and Corelli, but also lesser-known contemporaries, such as Hasse and Monn, to portray the variety and virtuosity of music from this period.

Join us for an afternoon where the baroque (gut) strings take centre stage in a captivating concert dedicated to the splendours of the baroque era.

With: Soloists Annien Shaw, Ralitza Macheva, Odile Burden, Valentina Vorster and Craig Williams (baroque violin), Rosamund Ender and Cheryl de Havilland (baroque cello), and the Cape Town Baroque Orchestra.

When: Sunday, 12 May, 12:00
Where: Moravian Church, Genadendal
Tickets: R180

Enquiries to info@ctbaroque.co.za.

This is a repeat concert in Cape Town. Refer to the description above for more information.

When: Wednesday, 15 May, 19:30
Where: St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, De Waterkant
Tickets: R100-250

Please join us for a complimentary glass of wine after the concert.

Enquiries to info@ctbaroque.co.za.

The Cape Town Baroque Orchestra presents a programme featuring the instrumental concerto in all its forms (solo concerto, concerto grosso and orchestral concerto) alongside arias from baroque operas, featuring soloists Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (soprano), Ralitza Macheva and Annien Shaw (baroque violins), and Erik Dippenaar (chamber organ). The programme includes Vivaldi’s violin concerto La Tempesta di mare, Handel’s Op. 4, No. 4 organ concerto, and a concerto grosso by Corelli. Mkhwanazi will sing arias by Handel and Vivaldi. Come be transformed by the range of affects in this exciting programme!

With soloists: Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (soprano), Ralitza Macheva and Annien Shaw (baroque violins), Erik Dippenaar (chamber organ) and the Cape Town Baroque Orchestra. Directed from the harpsichord by Erik Dippenaar.

When: Wednesday, 24 April, 19:30
Where: St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, De Waterkant
Tickets: R250, R220 (pensioners), R100 (students)

Please join us for a complimentary glass of wine after the concert.

Enquiries to info@ctbaroque.co.za.

Photo credit: Klein Karoo Klassique / Hans van der Veen

Following award-winning performances of our concert Handel at Home in 2022/23, featuring players of the Cape Town Baroque Orchestra and sopranos Lynelle Kenned and Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi, the same baroque dream team now brings you: Handel’s Roman Cantatas!

During the 17th century – in parallel with the development of the new forms of opera and oratorio – a form of secular vocal composition developed which came to be called the cantata. Unlike opera and oratorio, the Italian cantata in the 17th century was usually intended for domestic performance. By the beginning of the 18th century, cantatas had developed into self-contained dramatic scenes – almost mini-operas. Especially in Rome, in times when the church banned opera performances, these cantatas served as a substitute dramatic outlet for composers and singers.

The young GF Handel (1685–1759), during his years of study in Italy in the first decade of the 18th century, composed a great number of Italian cantatas. In Handel’s Roman Cantatas, Lynelle, Hlengiwe and a chamber ensemble of CTBO players present a selection of these dramatic and expressive gems.

With: Lynelle Kenned (soprano), Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (soprano), Ralitza Macheva (baroque violin), Rosamund Ender (baroque cello and viola da gamba), Dale de Windt (chamber organ) and Erik Dippenaar (harpsichord/Director).

When: Sunday, 14 April, 16:00
Where: St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, De Waterkant
Tickets: R240, R200 (pensioners), R100 (students)

Please join us for a complimentary glass of wine after the concert.

Enquiries to info@ctbaroque.co.za.

Rosamund Ender (viola da gamba) and Erik Dippenaar (harpsichord) present an intimate recital of music from the French Baroque.

During the Baroque period differing artistic temperaments and practices reigned. Italian musicians leaned towards the world of passion and French musicians towards the world of reason and moderation. France saw dance as the epitome of aristocratic art, and the consummate expression of the mastery of body and mind; and dance influenced music composition profoundly.

The permanent search for good taste (le bon gout), grace and elegance was also typically French and the viola da gamba and harpsichord were instruments favoured by French musicians for their refined expressive possibilities.

Erik Dippenaar will play solo harpsichord works by Rameau and François Couperin, including the well-loved Les Barricades Mystérieuses. Rosamund Ender will play both solo and accompanied viola da gamba repertoire by Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, Marin Marais, Sieur de Machy and Antoine Forqueray.

Do not miss the opportunity to hear a live performance of this heart wrenching, but not often performed, repertoire.

Date: Saturday, 28 October
Time: 11:00
Venue: Sts Simon & Jude Catholic Church
Tickets: R185

For more information, email info@ctbaroque.co.za.

Members of the Cape Town Baroque Orchestra (CTBO) are joined by sopranos Lynelle Kenned and Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi in their award-winning concert of chamber works for instruments and voices by G.F. Handel (1685–1759). Part of the programme consists of vocal chamber duets, a genre that the young Handel was exposed to as a student in Rome. Many years later several of these duets served as inspiration for choruses in his well-known oratorio Messiah. Baroque oboist Ingo Müller will play a sonata for oboe and also join Lynelle Kenned in an Italian cantata. The CTBO’s Artistic Director, Erik Dippenaar, will perform Handel’s well-loved Harmonious Blacksmith variations.

Included in the ticket price is a delicious Afternoon Tea after the concert.

With: Lynelle Kenned and Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (sopranos), Ingo Müller (baroque oboe), Cheryl de Havilland (baroque cello) and Erik Dippenaar (harpsichord).
Date: Sunday, 29 October
Time: 15:00
Venue: Simon’s Town Wesley Methodist Church
Tickets: R225

For more information, email info@ctbaroque.co.za.

A collection of great choral and orchestral works – the Karoo Mass by Xander Kritzinger and Vivaldi’s Magnificat are some of the musical masterpieces that will take audiences on a journey through the years. The timelessness of the works within the context of our contemporary challenges and celebrations, reminds us that there are things that we sometimes miss and things that we are able to reach out and touch. It is the music that binds and changes us.

With: Cape Choral Academy directed by Xander Kritzinger, Cape Town Baroque Orchestra directed by Erik Dippenaar, and Winand Grundling (organ)
Date: Tuesday, 10 October
Time: 20:00
Venue: Endler Hall, Stellenbosch
Tickets: R175-R210 | R205-R240 at the door

For more information, visit https://woordfees.co.za/en/program/cape-choral-academy-bolandse-misse/ or email info@ctbaroque.co.za.

A popular genre during the Baroque period was so-called “sets of variations” or “divisions”: Composers composed variations and embellishments on folk melodies or hymns. Erik Dippenaar and Ralitza Macheva present a programme of virtuoso sets of variations from the Baroque, including music by Corelli and Buxtehude. The programme also includes a collection of newly composed sets of variations for solo violin, in a Baroque style, by Montreal-based composer and early music specialist Matthias Maute, as well as an improvised set of variations on the organ by Dippenaar.

With: Ralitza Macheva (baroque violin) and Erik Dippenaar (organ and harpsichord)
Date: Friday, 4 August
Time: 16:30
Venue: Dutch Reformed Church Park, Oudtshoorn
Tickets: R150, R135 (Vriende van die KKNK concession price)

For more information, visit https://klassique.co.za/variations/ or email info@ctbaroque.co.za.

During the 17th century – in parallel with the development of the new forms of opera and oratorio – a form of secular vocal composition developed which came to be called the cantata. Unlike opera and oratorio, the Italian cantata in the 17th century was usually intended for domestic performance. By the beginning of the 18th century, cantatas had developed into self-contained dramatic scenes – almost mini operas. Especially in Rome, in times when the church banned opera performances, these cantatas served as a substitute dramatic outlet for composers and singers. During Handel’s years of study in Italy in the first decade of the 18th century, he composed a great number of Italian cantatas. Following their award-winning Handel at Home programme, members of the Cape Town Baroque Orchestra, alongside sopranos Lynelle Kenned and Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi, present a selection of these dramatic and expressive gems. The recital is followed by a free 45-minute music discussion with artists upstairs in the Banqueting Hall.

With: Lynelle Kenned (soprano), Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (soprano), Ralitza Macheva (baroque violin), Rosamund Ender (baroque cello & viola da gamba), Dale de Windt (chamber organ) and Erik Dippenaar (harpsichord & Director)
Date: Sunday, 6 August
Time: 14:00
Venue: Burgersentrum, Oudtshoorn
Tickets: R150, R135 (Vriende van die KKNK concession price)

For more information, visit https://klassique.co.za/handels-roman-cantatas/ or email info@ctbaroque.co.za.