Festival concludes with fiery Elijah, looks ahead

Contact: George Evano, (541) 346-5667 or gevano@uoregon.edu

EUGENE -- As baritone Russell Braun's Elijah rode triumphantly into heaven, Mendelssohn’s music ascended from the stage of Silva Concert Hall July 11, leaving in its wake a successful chapter in the Oregon Bach Festival’s 35-year history.

Executive Director Royce Saltzman said the Festival accomplished several important objectives, and looking ahead to its future, announced next year's pillar works. It opens June 23, 2005 with the northwest premiere of the South American-influenced San Marcos Pasión. Commissioned by Rilling for the Bach 250th anniversary year in 2000, it was written by Osvaldo Golijov and will be conducted by Venezuelan Maria Guinand.

Also slated are Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, done in a two-concert, day/night format; the pairing of Mendelssohn’s dramatic choral works Midsummer Night’s Dream and The First Walpurgis Night; and Haydn’s Creation.

Enumerating this year's achievements, Saltzman cited the 40-member Gächinger Kantorei, in residence for 17 days, and the new artistic highs reached in performances of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and Mass in B Minor.

“It has been a triumph,” said Artistic Director Helmuth Rilling. “With our two choirs together, perhaps we heard these great works by Bach like we have never heard them before in Eugene.”

Its staff managed to overcome the cancellation of its popular soloist, Thomas Quasthoff. “Our substitute concerts did not sell the number of tickets that were expected had Quasthoff performed,” said Saltzman. “But we still reached the second highest box office total in our history, and I’m very appreciative to our audiences for helping with that.”

Sales reached 17,000 tickets for box office receipts of more than $430,000, with total attendance exceeding 32,000, with visitors coming from 34 states and eight countries.

In addition to ticket sales, the Festival launched a new $10 million endowment through a $1 million pledge to the University of Oregon; received financial and in-kind support from 130 regional and national businesses and funders; and put to work 210 seasonal staff members and volunteers.

Artistically, the festival presented 577 musicians in 51 programs, ranging from Bach’s venerable cantatas to adventurous premieres in the Composers Symposium.

Rilling also reflected on celebrations marking the 35th anniversary. “It is a great thing to think we started with just two friends,” he said, recalling the first year’s single concert and modest $2,500 budget. “Who knew that over 35 years it would become such a wonderful festival, involving so many musicians and audiences who share the love of music.”