Frank Nemhauser Previews the BCI Singing Week in Barcelona

BARCELONA | AUGUST 5-12, 2020 | PALAU DE LA MÚSICA

BCI Music Director Frank Nemhauser talks about the singing week in Barcelona during which Saul Zaks makes his BCI debut conducting Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis” in the Palau de la Música.

“This will be BCI’s first time in Barcelona. We make our debut at the Palau de la Música, a spectacularly beautiful concert hall that was built for a choral society in Catalonia. It’s now a UNESCO world heritage site and an important example of Art Nouveau architecture.

“The conductor Saul Zaks, who is based in Denmark, makes his BCI debut. He was strongly recommended to us. When planning the 2020 season, I met with Saul when he was in New York City. I immediately thought: ‘Ah, this guy gets it, and he knows what we are all about.’ He’s got a lot of experience working with both professional and amateur singers, and leading workshops with groups that have come together for a particular project. He is so excited about working with us.

“I scheduled Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis because 2020 marks Beethoven’s 250th birthday, and I wanted BCI to be part of the worldwide celebration. Many consider the Missa Solemnis to be the Mount Everest of choral singing. It is a challenging piece, and there is a high return on your investment. Missa is absolutely thrilling to perform and it’s one of those pieces that many BCI choristers want to experience. Saul felt strongly that we should sing something in a language familiar to the local people, so he suggested we sing a set of Sephardic songs. They are written in Ladino. It’s not Spanish or Catalan, but it is related to the languages.

“The chorus will stay at the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza Hotel, where we will hold rehearsals and a wide array of classes. It’s a convenient, ten-minute subway ride from the hotel to the concert hall.”