FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE PRODUCTIONS RELEASE RECORDING OF HANDELS ATALANTA Philharmonia Baroqu Or!

h "#ra R l a" Four#h Al$um From O%n R !or&in' La$ l A(ril )*

San Fran!i"!o+ CA , A(ril -+ .*). Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra announces the release of Handels Atalanta on April 10, the fourth disc to be released since the 2011 founding of Philharmonia Baroque Productions !his t"o#disc album of Handels 1$%& opera in % acts features the ensemble recorded live 'eptember 10 and 11, 200( at Ber)ele*s +irst ,ongregational ,hurch Acclaimed b* the San Francisco Chronicle as -. magnificent. the most /ibrant, e0hilarating stretch of musical sho"manship this organi1ation has offered in man* a long season,2 the disc features the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra conducted b* 3icholas 4c5egan, the Philharmonia ,horale under the direction of Bruce 6amott, and a cast including 7ominique 6abelle, 'usanne 8*d9n, ,9cile /an de 'ant, 4ichael 'latter*, Philip ,utlip and ,ore* 4c:ern All Philharmonia Baroque Productions recordings are distributed b* harmonia mundi in the ; ' , ; : , 5erman*, and Austria and are a/ailable in both standard ,7 and digital do"nload formats from Ama1on, i!unes and other online outlets as "ell as all ma<or retailers and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra "ebsite, """ philharmonia org All four of the first Philharmonia Baroque recordings are produced and engineered b* 7a/id / 8 Bo"les, "ho has produced the orchestra=s recordings since 1>>& The New York Times has described Philharmonia Baroques first release of Berlio1s Les Nuits dt -almost forbiddingl* beautiful,2 and its second release of Ha*dn '*mphonies -reall* fine performances 2 ?ts third release of @i/aldis The Four Seasons "as equall* praised to be -brimming "ith color, /italit*, and imaginati/e interpretation,2 b* the San Francisco Classical Voice 3amed 4usical Americas Ansemble of the Bear in 200C, music critic Doshua :osman said, -!his ad/enturesome band has car/ed out a niche as the nations li/eliest pur/e*or of period performances !he uncommon brilliance of its instrumental pla*ing infuses the historical# performance enterprise "ith a /italit* and 1est that are "orlds remo/ed from dull conformit* to the dictates of scholarship 2

Among the most#recorded period#instrument orchestras in the ;nited 'tates or in Aurope, Philharmonia has made thirt*#t"o highl* praised recordings # including its Gramo hone a"ard "inning recording of Handels Susanna for harmonia mundi, 8eference 8ecordings, and B45 ?n 2011, the orchestra launched its o"n label, Philharmonia Baroque Productions, "ith an acclaimed recording of Berlio1= Les Nuits d!t and Handel arias featuring me11o#soprano 6orraine Hunt 6ieberson !he second ,7 release, Ha*dnE '*mphonies 3o 10C -6ondon2, 3o FF, 3o 101 -!he ,loc),2 "as nominated for a 58A44BG A"ard for Best Orchestral Performance !he ensemble then "ent on to release a commended recording of @i/aldi /iolin concertos including The Four Seasons featuring /iolinist Ali1abeth Blumenstoc) !hese last four releases on the Philharmonia label including the upcoming Atalanta are the first the orchestra has issued since 200$, "hen it self#released li/e recordings of Da)e Heggies To "ell and #ack and Beetho/ens '*mphon* 3o > ALBUM INFORMATION 5AO85A +8?7A8?, HA37A6 H1&F(#1$(>I Atalanta, opera in % acts, HJ@ %( 8eleased April 10, 2012 Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra 3icholas 4c5egan, conductor 7ominique 6abelle HAtalantaI, so rano 'usanne 8*d9n H4eleagroI, so rano ,9cile /an de 'ant H?reneI, me$$o%so rano 4ichael 'latter* HAmintaI, tenor Philip ,utlip H3icandroI, baritone ,ore* 4c:ern H4ercurioI, bartione Philharmonia ,horale, Bruce 6amott, director Philharmonia Baroque Productions 8ecorded 'eptember 10#11, 200( li/e at +irst ,ongregational ,hurch, Ber)ele*, ,A ABOUT PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA 'an +ranciscos Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has been dedicated to historicall*#informed performance of Baroque, ,lassical and earl*#8omantic music on original instruments since its inception in 1>F1 ;nder 4usic 7irector 3icholas 4c5egan, Philharmonia Baroque "as named &usical Americas 200C Ansemble of the Bear !he Orchestra performs an annual subscription season in the 'an +rancisco Ba* Area, and is regularl* heard on tour in the ;nited 'tates and internationall* !he Orchestra has its o"n professional chorus, the Philharmonia ,horale, and "elcomes such talented guest artists as me11o#soprano 'usan 5raham, countertenor 7a/id 7aniels, conductor Dordi 'a/all, /iolinist 4onica Huggett, recorder pla*er 4arion @erbruggen and soprano ?sabel Ba*ra)darian !he Orchestra has had numerous successful collaborations "ith celebrated musicians, composers, and choreographers Philharmonia Baroque premiered its first commissioned "or)K a

one#act opera b* Da)e Heggie entitled To "ell and #ack, in 3o/ember 200& ?n collaboration "ith the 4ar) 4orris 7ance 5roup, Philharmonia Baroque ga/e the ; ' premieres of 4orris highl* acclaimed productions of Henr* Purcells 'in( Arthur and Dean#Philippe 8ameaus ballet#opera )late* Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra "as founded b* harpsichordist and earl* music pioneer 6aurette 5oldberg ABOUT NICHOLAS M!GEGAN 3icholas 4c5egan is lo/ed b* audiences and orchestras for performances that match authorit* "ith enthusiasm, scholarship "ith <o*, and curatorial responsibilit* "ith e/angelical e0uberance He has been music director of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra for t"ent*#si0 *ears, and "as Artistic 7irector of the ?nternational Handel +esti/al 5Lttingen for t"ent* *ears He has been a pioneer in the process of e0porting historicall* informed practice be*ond the "orld of period instruments to con/entional s*mphonic forces, guest#conducting orchestras including the ,hicago, 't 6ouis '*mphon*, !oronto and '*ndne* '*mphonies, the ,le/eland and Philadelphia Orchestras, the 3e" Bor), 6os Angeles and Hong :ong Philharmonics, the 3orthern 'infonia and the 'cottish ,hamber Orchestra, as "ell as opera companies including ,o/ent 5arden, 'an +rancisco, 'anta +e and Jashington Born in Angland, 3icholas 4c5egan "as educated at ,ambridge and O0ford He "as made an Officer of the 4ost A0cellent Order of the British Ampire HOBAI -for ser/ices to music o/erseas 2 His a"ards also include the Halle Handel Pri1eK the Order of 4erit of the 'tate of 6o"er 'a0on* H5erman*IK the 4edal of Honour of the ,it* of 5Lttingen, and an official 3icholas 4c5egan 7a*, declared b* the 4a*or of 'an +rancisco in recognition of his distinguished "or) "ith the Philharmonia Baroque @isit 3ic 4c5egan on the "eb at """ nicholasmcgegan com PRESS AND MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT :aren Ames ,ommunicationsE :aren Ames or :ristin 'chellinger HC1(I &C1#$C$C )arenM)arenames com )ristinM)arenames com Dohn !a/enner, 7irector of 4ar)eting and Public 8elations, Philharmonia Baroque HC1(I 2(2#12FF <ta/ennerMphilharmonia org +or a complete biograph*, /isit """ philharmonia orgNaboutNhistor*N Press photos are a/ailable at """ philharmonia orgNpress#roomNresources ///