One of the greatest composers of the late Baroque/early Classical period was Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Known as “Le Mozart Noir,” he was one of the earliest musicians of the European classical tradition to have African ancestry. Incredibly, this son of a slave overcame adversities of class, race, and prejudice to become a major musical star all over Europe, inspiring both Mozart and Haydn. Today, he is almost entirely forgotten, not just by the general audience, but by many professional classical musicians. This large-scale orchestral program includes several of his violin concertos, orchestral works by Mozart, and one of Haydn’s Paris Symphonies. Seattle Baroque Orchestra is joined by violinist Monica Huggett to highlight this incredibly influential composer.
“…led from the keyboard by Alexander Weimann…was collegial, collaborative music-making of the highest level…” -Vancouver Sun
