麥基爾大學台灣研究生同學會

演出日期：2008年11月26日（三），晚間七點半
票價：學生票CAD $10.00
演出地點：Christ Church Cathedral - 635 Ste Catherine Street West

Montréal’s first Messiah – always a sell out. Canada’s best countertenor Daniel Taylor joins Marie-Eve Munger, Jeremy Budd and Alex Dobson – a dream cast for this magnum opus joins the professional voices of the Christ Church Choir led by Patrick Wedd. Your subscription wins you the best seat in the church.

古今中外最著名的神劇，當推韓德爾的『彌賽亞』。其中的『哈利路亞』一曲，早已成為家喻戶曉的合唱曲。每年聖誕節期間，歐美各大城市的教堂以及音樂廳，都會安排『彌賽亞』音樂會，儼然成為西方世界兩百多年來的傳統，於是，『彌賽亞』成了聖誕節期間不可或缺的精神食糧。回顧『彌賽亞』在韓德爾在世時的演出大多是安排在復活節前一週演出。隨著歷史發展，聖誕節成了西方世界最大的節日，而『彌賽亞』也成了民間最流行的宗教慶典音樂，自然而然，『彌賽亞』與聖誕節就這樣永遠結合在一起了。
關於『彌賽亞』的樂譜，存在著一個非常奇特而有趣的事實，那就是它沒有一個決定性的最終版本。韓德爾是一個實用主義者，他生前每一次演出彌賽亞，都會根據當時演出團體的狀況，來修改樂譜，以便適應某一特殊場合的演出。或許正因為它的演出版本，有很大的自由度，才成了炙手可熱的宗教節慶音樂。

『彌賽亞』不同於傳統的神劇，也不同於受難曲，它的戲劇性成分大幅減少了，而音樂與歌詞共同形成一個令人沈思冥想的架構。因此，『彌賽亞』不算是典型的韓德爾神劇，它不像一般的神劇，在述說某些神話或聖經故事，而是一系列的沈思冥想，從舊約的預言，到耶穌的誕生、受難、殉道、復活與最後勝利等一系列的沈思冥想，正好闡明了基督徒信仰的核心思想。
『彌賽亞』全曲分成三大部分。第一部份立即架構起舊約的預言。宣告耶穌的誕生也是引用舊約聖經的詞句，緊接著就引用新約聖經裏關於牧羊人的敘述，這部分以緩和的沈思冥想作終結，沈思著耶穌帶給世人全新的平和境界。

第二部分開場，如畫似的描述基督受難記。其中一首詠歎調仍是引用舊約的詞句來強調基督一切作為正好履行了舊約的預言。甚至於基督肉身的死亡以及到達天堂，都是引用舊約的預言詞句；只有在〝Their sound is gone out〞是引用新約聖經中的使徒書與羅馬人書的詞句。至於最有名的合唱曲「哈利路亞」，展現基督最終勝利的的偉大景象，則是引用新約啟示錄的詞句。

第三部分經常被描述成是讚美基督復活的頌歌，其實較正確的描述應該是：第三部分在肯定基督未來回返人世的現象，也就是充滿榮耀的第二次回返。女高音獨唱正是宣告這樣的主旨。男低音獨唱則唱出最後審判日。而其中一首二重唱則引用新約哥林多書中的詞句，來讚美死亡已經被征服打敗的事實。最後的讚美詩大合唱，則再度引用新約啟示錄中的詞句，描繪羔羊永恆地坐在天堂寶座上。

從十八世紀末到二次世界大戰結束前，『彌賽亞』都是以大編制型態演出。尤其到了19世紀中葉，所有管樂器都已經改良進化成了現代的管樂器，因此用浪漫樂派的管弦樂配器法來重新為『彌賽亞』編曲，不僅成為一種流行趨勢，而且參與演出的人數也無限制地擴充，似乎期望在演出『彌賽亞』時，樂聲可以震天動地。經由二十世紀音樂學者的努力研究，使我們對18世紀的管弦樂團有了較正確的認識，因此對18世紀的音樂也有了較深入的瞭解。許多音樂學者都提倡要回歸韓德爾時代的演出傳統。然而，『彌賽亞』早已成為合唱活動的象徵，社區合唱團把演唱『彌賽亞』當成是他們最重要的活動，甚至於變成了社區精神象徵。『彌賽亞』已經使合唱活動平民化，合唱團也不再是貴族的專利。這現象正好與維多利亞時代努力普及教育與改善勞工生活水準完全契合，難怪那些想要推翻『彌賽亞』日久形成的演奏習性而回歸到巴洛克時期演奏習性的嘗試，總會遭到很大的阻力。

二十世紀的音樂學者仍不斷努力研究巴洛克時期的演奏習性，對於當時裝飾音演奏法、強弱表現、弦樂器弓法、以及巴洛克樂器都作了詳盡研究，而極力提倡回歸巴洛克時期的演奏習性（包括使用巴洛克時期的樂器）來演奏『彌賽亞』，合唱團人數也必須減少以求得完美的聲部平衡。

合唱音樂在神劇中有很多種功能，它時常在適當時機出現於樂曲中，對於劇中事件發展作評論或反映，這可以避免太主觀、突兀地介入劇情，因為合唱團的演唱總是具有非個人性的、距離事件較遙遠的性質，其功能與希臘悲劇中的合唱隊，非常類似。韓德爾擅長寫作合唱音樂的才能，在神劇創作中，展露無疑。一方面由於他的天賦異稟，而另一方面，或許是更重要的因素，他努力鑽研吸收北德路德教派合唱音樂風格、南德天主教會合唱音樂風格以及英國合唱音樂傳統，而塑造了韓德爾個人的合唱音樂風格。事實上，『彌賽亞』中很多曲調，都是改編自他先前創作的歌劇。韓德爾就這樣隨心所欲的採用他先前創作的曲調，加以改編，而成為全新作品。事實證明，他的改編手法非常高明，很有效力也很貼切，真不愧是一代大師。

『彌賽亞』是西方文明的一個紀念碑，歷經兩個半世紀仍屹立不搖，繼續散發光茫。它的永恆價值在於：為信仰下了一個完美的音樂註腳、使合唱音樂平民化、以及對後世的宗教音樂產生極深遠的影響。然而，欣賞者進入『彌賽亞』的音樂世界時，心靈受到無比滋潤，可能才是此曲對世人最大的貢獻。

演出人員：

指揮／布理斯．柏特（Boris Brott）
布理斯．柏特是洛杉磯新西交響樂團 (New West Symphony Orchestra) 和蒙特婁的麥基爾室内樂樂團 (McGill Chamber Orchestra) 的藝術總監。他是加拿大和國際最著名的指揮家之一。

He is a Canadian conductor and motivational speaker.

Born in Montreal, the son of violinist and composer Alexander Brott and cellist Lotte Brott, and brother of cellist Denis Brott.

Boris Brott is one of the most internationally-recognized Canadian conductors. He has conducted on stages around the world -- from Carnegie Hall to Covent Garden. Charismatic and innovative, he is fiercely dedicated to the musical education of young people and innovative methods of introducing classical music to new audiences. He is devoted to the promulgation of Canadian musical talent and has commissioned, performed and recorded countless Canadian works.

女高音／Marie-Ève Munger
Winner of the 1st Prize in Opera at the International Voice Competition in Marmande (2007) for her portrayal of Ophelie’s Mad Scene from Hamlet, young Canadian coloratura soprano Marie-Eve Munger is enjoying a very active performing schedule in France and in North America alike.
Upcoming engagements include the world premiere of La Pastorale by Gérard Pesson at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and performances with the Opéra de Tours (Offenbach – Mesdames de la Halle – Ciboulette), L’Orchestre Symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean (Carmen – Michaëla), the Société d’art lyrique du Royaume (La Vie Parisienne – Gabrielle), and the McGill Chamber Orchestra (Messiah). In addition, Ms. Munger will share a recital with famous baritone Gino Quilico and will make her company debut with the Opéra-Théâtre de Metz (France) with a revival of her signature interpretation of Ophelie during the 2009-2010 season.

Recent performances include concerts with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (L’Orchestre Enchanté and Voix d’Espoir), the Queen of the Night in the Magic Flute (Banff Centre for the Arts), Gasparina in La Canterina by Haydn (McGill Chamber Orchestra), Sylvabelle in L’Auberge du Cheval Blanc and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (Société d’Art Lyrique du Royaume), Cunegonde in Candide by Bernstein and Évangéline 2 in the World Premiere of Évangéline Revisited by Julian Wachner (Opera McGill), the Angel in Lauda per la Natività del Signore by Respighi, Eve in Haydn’s The Creation with the New Haven Symphony, Handel’s Dixit Dominus with the McGill Chamber Orchestra and Will Todd’s Mass in Blue for the Mondial Choral Festival 2008. She also created, produced and performed in the concert spectacle « ARIA » for the Mondial Choral Festival 2006 and 2007, and recorded a recital for the Young Artist CBC/Radio-Canada programme. She has shared the recital concert stage with some of the world’s leading artists including Daniel Taylor, Michael MacMahon, and Jean-François Lapointe with whom she performed during the summer of 2008.

Since the Fall of 2007, Marie-Eve Munger has also served as artistic director of the Société d’art lyrique du Royaume in Saguenay overseeing an annual concert series and fully staged productions of operetta and light opera.

Awarded the Wirth Scholarship, Marie-Ève Munger earned the degree of Master of Music at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal in 2007. She has also studied dance and acting privately.

假聲男高音／丹尼爾泰勒（Daniel Taylor）
曾經在剛崛起樂壇時，來過台灣參加布蘭詩歌演唱的假聲男高音丹尼爾泰勒，其實是台灣樂迷都很熟悉的聲音。在緯來電視台播放的「歡樂夏夏叫」節目中，他就曾經和一位搞笑女高音合唱了羅西尼的「貓的二重唱」，讓人印象深刻。這位現年四十歲的加拿大男高音，其實已經在國際樂壇上受到注目許久，大學主修英文、哲學和音樂，後來拜在英國假聲男高音名家邁可錢斯的門下，從一九九七年在英國演出韓德爾歌劇大受好評後，他就不斷被邀請參加許多巴洛克歌劇的演出和錄音，至今已經灌錄過超過六十張以上的唱片，合作的對象包括賈第納、威廉克利斯帝、麥克利希、庫普曼、霍格伍德和鈴木亞明等古樂指揮名家。他自己也在加拿大創立早期音樂劇院樂團。闖蕩樂壇多年後，丹尼爾泰勒終於決定要和新力唱片簽約，專屬於一個唱片公司。

Daniel Taylor is a Canadian countertenor.

He completed his undergraduate studies in English, philosophy and music at McGill University (Montreal) and his graduate work in religion and music at the Université de Montréal.

Taylor's Glyndebourne debut in the 1997 Peter Sellars's production of Händel's Theodora was followed by his operatic debut in Händel's Rodelinda. His other operatic roles have included Nerone in Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea and Tolomeo in Händel's Giulio Cesare. Taylor's repertory includes sacred works, lute songs, and contemporary works.

Taylor has performed with: (Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne, San Francisco, Rome, Welsh National Opera, Canadian Opera, Opera North and Munich), (Gabrieli Consort, Monteverdi Choir/English Baroque Soloists, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Les Arts Florissants, Academy of Ancient Music), and he regularly joins forces with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Fretwork and the King's Consort.

Taylor has made numerous recordings,frequently performing with Canadian soprano Suzie LeBlanc. He is artistic director and founder of the Theatre of Early Music, a period instrument ensemble based in Montreal, Canada. He was named Opus Prizes Discovery of the year 1999 and Artist of the Year 2004.

男高音／Benjamin Butterfield
The Canadian tenor, Benjamin Butterfield, enjoys an international career as one of Canada's most successful and sought-after artists. He has performed to critical acclaim throughout North America and Europe and most recently also in Israel and New Zealand. The San Francisco Examiner has described him as "...a master of [Bach] literature..." Regarded as a "musically arresting presence" by the San Francisco Chronicle, he is in demand for concert, opera and recital.

Benjamin Butterfield's operatic credits include debuts in The Barber of Seville under Carlo Rizzi at Welsh National Opera, The Magic Flute with New York City Opera, Tamerlano, directed by Jonathan Miller, at Glimmerglass Opera conducted by Jane Glover and in Die Fledermaus with Edmonton opera. His stage repertoire has encompassed roles in the Cosi fan tutte, Don Pasquale, Cunning Little Vixen, Eugene Onegin, Turn of the Screw, Barber of Seville, Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflote, Rake's Progress, Persephone, and Tamerlano. He has performed in Naples at Il Teatro di San Carlo, Theatre du Capitole in Toulouse, Welsh National Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, L'Opera Nationale de Montpellier, and Arizona Opera, as well as New York City Opera, L'Opera de Montreal, Vancouver Opera, Calgary Opera (performing Pearl Fishers), Glimmerglass Opera Festival, and Canterbury Opera in New Zealand.

In concert Benjamin Butterfield has appeared in Britten's War Requiem with the London Symphony Chorus and the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, the St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and St. John Passion (BWV 245) with Nicholas McGegan and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln at the Toronto International Choral Festival. He has toured throughout Europe with Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert, the RIAS Kammerchor of Berlin (performing Jephtha) and with Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre. He has been guest performer also with Bruno Weil and the Carmel Bach Festival ("Best debuting artist in the 1996 season" by The San Francisco Chronicle). He has been heard at the BBC Proms, Carnegie Hall, and on TV broadcasts of Messiah from Halle, Germany. He has performed with the Symphony Orchestras of San Francisco and Washington, New Jersey, Houston, and Chicago. Other appearances have included the Saito Kinen Festival with Seiji Ozawa, and Festival Vancouver performing the Mad Woman in Britten's Curlew River.

The 2003-2004 season highlights included L'enfance du Christ with L'Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Sir Andrew Davis, Bach Cantatas at the BBC Proms with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Ontario, Messiah in Boston with the Handel & Haydn Society and with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as well as Georg Frideric Handel's Alcina and J.S. Bach's St. John Passion (BWV 245) with Les Violons du Roi.

The 2004-2005 season finds Benjamin Butterfield performing the St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and Mozart's Coronation Mass at the Carmel Bach Festival in California with conductor Bruno Weil, as well as on tour performing the Mozart Requiem and Vespers with Les Violons du Roi and conductor, Bernard Labadie. Messiah concerts with the San Diego Symphony and the National Symphony Orchestra are scheduled, and he will perform the role of Belmonte in a return to Opera Ontario for a production of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Also in Canada, he performs with the Calgary Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra with conductor Nicholas McGegan, the Vancouver Symphony, the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and in multiple recitals.

Of his many recordings, the Benjamin Britten Serenade (CBC/Streatfeild) and The Canticles (Marquis/Aldeburgh Connection) have been recognized by the Juno Awards. Benjamin Butterfield has also recorded Brahms and Schumann Liebeslieder (CBC/Aldeburgh Connection), music of Bach, Schütz and Haydn (Koch International/Jeffrey Thomas & American Bach Soloists), Opera Encores (CBC/Bradshaw), Messiah excerpts with Tafelmusik (CBC/Taurins) and Weinachts Oratorium (BWV 248) (Dorion/Greg Funfgeld), and French and German opera arias with Canadian Opera Company Orchestra. Film and TV credits include Dido and Aeneas with the Mark Morris Dance Company and Tafelmusik, L'enfant et les Sortileges with the Montreal Symphony and Charles Dutoit, Messiah for ZDF in Halle with The English Concert and Trevor Pinnock, and Bach's B minor Mass (BWV 232) with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem for PBS. He is also heard regularly on CBC Radio.

男中音／Alex Dobson
The British-Canadian baritone Alexander Dobson has been praised for his musicality and dramatic awarenesson both the opera and recital stage. Recent highlights of this exciting young baritone include his rivetingportrayal of WOZZECK conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin in Montreal (a role which he reprised from theOrford Festival) for which he was lauded for his “gripping embodiment of Wozzeck” (Journal Voir). Operatic performances also include Mercutio in ROMEO ET JULIETTE for Opera Ontario, Junius in THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA for Pacific Opera Victoria and Polyphemus ACIS AND GALATEA for the Toronto Masque Theatre. He made his Royal Opera debut when THE MIDNIGHT COURT by Ana Sokolovic premiered at Covent Garden’s Linbury Theater in June 2006. On the concert stage, Mr. Dobson sang Mozart’s MASS IN C MINOR with Chorus Niagara, Handel’s MESSIAH with Orchestra London, and Rutter’s MASS OF THE CHILDREN with the Peterborough Singers.

Mr. Dobson appeared on tour in the summer of ‘07 with Yannick Nezet Seguin singing WINTEREISE, followed by Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with Boris Brott in Hamilton, Ontario. His 2007-2008 season includes MESSIAH for the McGill Chamber Orchestra and the Oshawa Symphony, Holman’s’ REQUIEM for Chorus Niagara and the Orpheus Choir, Albert in WERTHER for Opera Hamilton, Schaunard in LA BOHEME for Vancouver Opera, Mercutio in ROMEO ET JULIETTE for l’Opéra de Montreal, and Bach’s JOHANNES PASSION for both the Toronto Bach Consort and Cellar Singers of Orillia.

The 2006-2007 season opened with the role of Schaunard in LA BOHEME for l’Opéra de Quebec, followed by a remount of his lead role in Tapestry New Opera’s NIGREDO HOTEL for the Algoma Fall Festival. He continued the season with his debut with Opera Pacific in Costa Mesa’s production of CARMEN as Morales while he understudied Escamillo, and Opéra de Montréal presented him as Mercutio in ROMÉO ET JULIETTE. He sang Bach’s B MINOR MASS with the Fanshawe Chorus London, and performed Aeneas in Purcell’s DIDO AND AENEAS for Toronto Masque Theatre as well as in the newly commissioned AENEAS AND DIDO by James Rolf. Mr. Dobson performed DIE WINTERREISE in White Rock, Victoria and Toronto. On the concert stage, he was also featured in MESSIAH with the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Fagan Singers, and Brott Music. Other past engagements include Brahms’ REQUIEM for Orchestre Metropolitan, a concert with the New Music Showcase with the Vancouver Symphony, Bach’s MASS IN B MINOR with the Victoria Symphony and Vaughan-Williams SEA SYMPHONY in Guelph and in London. Past roles of note include Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with both the Huntsville Festival and the Toronto Philharmonia, the Pirate King in the PIRATES OF PENZANCE for Toronto Operetta Theatre, and for L’Opéra de Montreal, Ned Keene in PETER GRIMES, Belcore in L’ELISIR D’AMORE, and Guglielmo in COSI FAN TUTTE.

Alexander is heard frequently on CBC Radio Canada in recital, and was recently seen as Marcello in BRAVO’s La Boheme. He has performed Schubert’s WINTERREISE in Toronto, Montreal and England. An alumni of prestigious programs such as the Music Academy of the West, the Steans Institute for Young Artists, and L’Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montreal, he is also the recipient of numerous awards and prizes including those from the International Voice Competition of Paris, the Jeunesses Musicales National Competition.

參考網址：http://www.ocm-mco.org/en/events.php#77