Westchester Oratorio Society presents Haydn’s “Creation”

Westchester Oratorio Society presents Haydn’s “Creation” in Chappaqua, NY. The concert will feature soloists Catherine Steinbrink, Soprano Jeffrey Strand, Tenor and David Salsbery Fry, Bass, and the WOS Festival Orchestra.

“The Creation” (“Die Schöpfung”), considered a masterpiece of the oratorio tradition, celebrates the creation of the world as described in the “Book of Genesis.” Scored for chorus, three soloists and symphonic orchestra, it was first performed in Vienna in 1799. The oratorio society will be singing the Libretto by Gottfried van Swieten in the original German.

According to WOS Artistic Director Benjamin Niemczyk, while singing in German can be a challenge for singers, it is a practice WOS is comfortable with. “Singing in the original German gives us greater insight into the piece and ultimately, the composer. We look forward to sharing this work with the public alongside our accomplished soloists and full symphony orchestra.”

The performance is made possible with a grant from the Westchester Community Foundation. The Westchester Community Foundation’s mission is to connect generous people to the causes they care about and invest in transformative ideas and organizations to improve lives and strengthen our community. WCF is a division of The New York Community Trust, one of the largest community foundations in the country, with assets of approximately $2.6 billion: https://www.wcf-ny.org/

Founded in 1997, Westchester Oratorio Society is dedicated to providing a community and educational experience for amateur singers of all levels while bringing exceptional performances with professional orchestras and soloists to local audiences. Now in its twelfth season under Mr. Niemczyk’s baton, the group rehearses on Tuesday evenings at the Katonah Village Library.