THE Ten Tors Orchestra launches its 2002 season with a concert at St Paul's Church, Yelverton, on Saturday March 9 at 7.30pm.
The programme, titled Spring Elegance, features soprano soloist Sinead Pratschke. She will be flying in especially from Canada where she has been performing in Opera Canada's production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.
Sinead will sing Handel's passionate cantata Clori, mia bella Clori with the Ten Tors Orchestra. This is a piece of rare beauty and contains four passionate areas.
For the second half of the programme Sinead has chosen to perform two glorious dramatic arias from Handel's opera Alcina. Sinead studied in Canada and at the National Opera Studio, London. Her recordings include Handel's Samson and Judas Maccabaeus.
The concert will open with more Handel — the Concerto Grosso Opus 3 no 1. This magnificent work uses flutes, oboes and bassoons to reinforce the string ensemble. The programme also includes the well-loved Dance of the Blessed Spirits by Gluck, Scarlatti's Concerto Grosso in C minor and to complete this 18th century programme, William Boyce's Symphony no 8 in D minor.
Simon Ible, conductor of the Ten Tors Orchestra said: 'This is a programme of the grandest Baroque music with all its elegance and magnificence and St Paul's Church is the perfect venue for this repertoire. It has such a fine acoustic. We also are so fortunate to have Sinead Pratschke coming to perform for us. Her voice is perfect for the Handelian repertoire. I think we are all in for a real treat!'
Tickets priced £10, children £4, are available from Mansbridge and Balment Estate Agents offices in Yelverton and Tavistock or contact the Ten Tors Orchestra office on 01566 783138 or email: