Delmenhorst Kantor inspires in the USA: Return with special sounds!

Delmenhorst Kantor inspires in the USA: Return with special sounds!

Jörg Hitz, cantor of the Delmenhorst town church, has just returned from his trip to the USA. The talented musician was invited to play the harpsichord in Reinhard Keiser's opera “Octavia” at the Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF). The stay in America lasted a total of six weeks, with Hitz spending five weeks in rehearsals and the last week at the festival. He describes the rehearsals as particularly informal and different than in Germany, where there is often less time for intensive collaboration. During the festival, which specializes in music from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, Hitz experienced a clash of internationally renowned artists and emerging talents. You can find out more about the event in a report Observer read up.

The opera “Octavia,” which was at the heart of the festival, deals with the unscrupulousness of the Roman Emperor Nero and his political machinations that ultimately led to a revolution in the Roman Empire. This complex work, which premiered in Hamburg in 1705, addresses not only romantic but also political unrest. Hitz considers the opera's music to be of an "incredibly exciting level" and thus underlines the high quality of the festival, which has brought artists and music lovers together every year since 1981. BEMF is known for its stylized performances with period sets and costumes, making the experience even more unique.

The return to Delmenhorst

However, with more than 100 recordings and radio productions, Hitz remains less well-known in his homeland. Nevertheless, he is now bringing his experiences back into the local music scene. In this context, he announced the upcoming summer concerts at the Delmenhorst City Church, which will start on July 2nd at 6 p.m. and open with the title “My Heart is Ready” by Nicolaus Bruns. Visitors can expect a varied program with talented musicians such as Francisco Henrique (bass) and Carla Linné (violin), who will perform together with Hitz on the harpsichord and organ.

The other concerts include:

• 9. Juli: “Stadt, Land, Fluss – eine klingende Geografie” mit Werken von Telemann und Corbett.
• 16. Juli: “In aller Freundschaft – ein Doppelkonzert” mit Händel, Mattheson und anderen.
• 23. Juli: “Happy Birthday – Unsere diesjährigen Jubilare” mit weniger bekannten Komponisten.
• 30. Juli: “Sternenhimmel – Aussichtsreiche Musik” über alte Stücke zu Planeten.
• 6. August: “Familienbande – Musik der Familie Bach” mit Werken von Bach und seinen Söhnen.
• 13. August: “Lobet den Herrn – eine geistliche Abendmusik” mit Musik von Johann Georg Reichwein.

Admission to these concerts is free, but donations are requested to support the musical work of the city church. Hitz himself emphasizes the importance of hard work and empathy in music and is looking forward to sharing these experiences with the local community.