In 2022 we will proudly celebrate that Utrecht has had city rights for 900 years. Holland Baroque, the Nederlands Kamerkoor, the Netherlands Bach Society, the National Children’s Choir, and the Kathedrale Koorschool Suriname will close out this festive year with a musical tribute to the Domstad. Together they celebrate this special anniversary with a program based around Georg Friedrich Händel’s compelling Utrecht Te Deum.
The festivities in Utrecht will be concluded on Sint Maarten (11 November) with an XL variant of the parade in honour of Sint Maarten, who has been the patron saint of Utrecht since the 7th century, followed by the AVROTROS Friday concert in TivoliVredenburg. A grand finale of a year full of activities!
The fact that the four top ensembles from Utrecht are joining forces is unique. The evening’s festivities are augmented with a baroque concert by an exceptionally large line-up of orchestra, choirs and soloists.
Utrecht Te Deum recalls a special moment in the city’s history. Handel wrote the work for the British Queen Anne on the occasion of the Treaty of Utrecht. At the beginning of the 18th century, negotiations were underway in the cathedral city to end the wars of the Spanish Succession. Diplomats from all over Europe gathered at City Hall for over a year and Britain emerged as the winner. Queen Anne was so pleased with this that she commissioned Handel to compose the Utrecht Te Deum and Utrecht Te Jubilate. Handel completed the pieces in January 1713 and the first performance was on July 7, 1713 at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Performers
Holland Baroque
Dutch Bach Society
Dutch Chamber Choir
Utrecht Cathedral Choir School
Suriname Cathedral Choir School
Order tickets for 11 November
In collaboration with Sharing Arts Society (organizer of the Sint Maarten Parade), TivoliVredenburg, AVROTROS Vrijdagconcert and the municipality of Utrecht.
