“Ars Lyrica’s Retooled Season Offers Fresh Musical Experiences” by Steven Brown, Arts and Culture Texas
The coronavirus’ upheaval forced Ars Lyrica Houston to set aside most of its plans for this season–including its cherished project for its second fully staged opera. But the group dreamed up new programs, better suited to our social-distancing world, and a handful of its musicians in late September launched Ars Lyrica’s revamped season.
Arranged in a circle inside St. Philip Presbyterian Church, the players plunged into vibrant Baroque works including a pair of J.S. Bach’s two-harpsichord concertos. Because the church remains closed to a congregation and other gatherings, a video link streamed the performance to Ars Lyrica’s audience. Not only did the stream attract about 200 viewers, but artistic director Matthew Dirst spied a silver lining amid the pandemic storm.
“It was nice to discover that the Bach double harpsichord concertos, in one sense, worked better as recorded video material than they do in person,” Dirst says. “Harpsichords, almost by definition, are sometimes a little tough to hear in an ensemble, especially in a big room. By miking each instrument individually, we were able to produce a really well-balanced sound, which was arguably better than you would get as an in-person audience–unless you were sitting in the front rows.”
Though the pandemic augurs against choral music, smaller-scale vocal works remain within safe reach. Ars Lyrica returns to action Oct. 24 with a program that includes a contrasting pair of Bach cantatas, each centering on a single singer.
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For more information about Ars Lyrica please visit arslyricahouston.org.
