Carl Orff's brilliant and beloved Carmina Burana kicks off our 2011-12 season! The opening refrain of 'O Fortuna' is one of the most popular excerpts from any choral work thanks in large part to its use in movies, TV shows, and commercials. The texts, found in a German monastery, are an eclectic batch of entertaining and, at times, heart-rendering poems all written by monks. The music is famous for the non-stop rhythmic drive that has made it one of the most treasured musical adventures ever written.

CAE is performing the work with the Unison Piano Duo of Luther College, baritone Jacob Lassetter, also of Luther College, soprano Tracy Engleman of St. Olaf College, counter-tenor Jerry Hinks of Minneapolis and a professional percussion ensemble led by Jay Johnson. Petit Pianos, who regularly and generously supplies one of their very fine pianos for our concerts, is lending us TWO pianos for this exciting two-piano & percussion arrangement.

Leisa Luis-Grill

As a counterpoint to Carmina Burana, we are also doing Leonard Bernstein's Choruses from The Lark, a play by Jean Anouihl and adapted by Lillian Hellman which dramatizes the trials of Joan of Arc. We are so excited to have Rochester actor Leisa Luis-Grill interpreting the role of Joan of Arc. Her scenes will be interspersed with the choruses, both French chansons and Latin Mass excerpts, sung by the choir. Counter-tenor Jerry Hinks will be the featured soloist. The combination of Carmina Burana and The Lark makes this one of our most drama-filled concerts ever!

If you happened to be at our Christmas concert in December of 2006, Jay Johnson was the percussion wizard on the Mary Joyce Frantz Christmas Carol Mary and Gabriel by Abbie Betinis. (You can hear it on our There is No Rose cd.) Jay first performed with us in May 2005 on our 20th Anniversary concert and also was with us in 2007 on our American Masterpieces program. Jay is a professional percussionist from St. Paul and senior lecturer at Carleton College. We are happy to have him again!

Leisa Luis-Grill also has had previous appearances with CAE. Not only may you have been assisted by her at our cd table in her role as supportive spouse of tenor Rob Grill, but in our March 2006 concert featuring Honeggar's King David, Leisa portrayed a witch and just about stole the show. She is also active on theaters in town, especially appearing in plays at the Rochester Rep.

We haven't had the pleasure of sharing a stage with our other guests, but we are certainly looking forward to it. You can learn more about them through the links in the "Relevant Links" box in the upper right.