An International Baroque Orchestra in residence in Chicago and Cleveland WHY
A season of ancient legends that speak to our own time... from the shores of Carthage to the Old City of Jerusalem. Join us for a journey of joyous discovery and shared humanity! 8
“FIRST RATE... rendered with consummate skill and artistry...
– NEW YORK TIMES
“PASSIONATE eloquence... Jeannette Sorrell has seamlessly woven her vibrant ensemble into the city’s musical fabric”
– CHICAGO CLASSICAL REVIEW
“SUPERB technique and dramatic flair”
– BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
“Easily one of the most MEMORABLE musical evenings in recent years”
– CHICAGO CLASSICAL REVIEW
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Join us after select concerts for treats and mingling with the musicians. Open to all. Details on concert pages.
Saturday
October 4, 7:30pm
Nichols Concert Hall
Music Institute of Chicago EVANSTON
Post-concert refreshments with the musicians
PURCELL
Dido & Aeneas
A Dramatic Concert Presentation
Sunday
October 5, 5:00pm
CHICAGO Cultural Center
SEASON OPENING CELEBRATION!
Post-concert reception with the musicians in the Cultural Center’s stunning Rotunda. Enjoy prosecco, cheeses, fruit, and sweets as AF’s lutenists provide the musical ambiance.
RSVP required; full details coming soon!
This performance also includes complimentary refreshments at intermission.
Aryssa Leigh Burrs, mezzo-soprano (Dido)
Edward Vogel, baritone (Aeneas)
Andréa Walker, soprano (Belinda)
Cody Bowers, countertenor (Sorceress) with Apollo’s Singers
Dido & Aeneas, the ancient Roman myth of love and betrayal, was recounted 2000 years ago in Virgil’s Aeneid – and still resonates today. The Trojan hero Aeneas lands on the shores of Carthage, where the beautiful and proud Queen Dido reigns. Just after winning her love, Aeneas suddenly departs –summoned by the gods. Was it destiny or betrayal?
No composer has evoked this question with more poignancy than Henry Purcell, whose renowned 17th-century opera Dido & Aeneas is a gem of the baroque repertoire. The program includes sparkling instrumental dances from Purcell’s King Arthur and The Fairy-Queen.
Sunday
December 14, 3:00pm
Church of the Holy Family CHICAGO
(Little Italy/Near West Side)
Monday December 15, 7:00pm Saints Faith, Hope, & Charity
WINNETKA
Celebrate the season with holiday treats with Jeannette and the musicians!
PRAETORIUS Christmas Vespers
featuring Apollo’s Singers and members of Apollo’s Musettes (Treble Youth Choir)
Praised as “a sheer delight” (NEW YORK TIMES), Apollo’s Fire’s acclaimed holiday program comes to Chicago! Artistic Director Jeannette Sorrell weaves the extraordinary works of 17th-century composer Michael Praetorius into a Vespers service. The cathedral resounds in a splendor often reminiscent of Monteverdi – with antiphonal choirs, trumpets, sackbuts, cornettos, lutes, harp, strings and recorders. Familiar highlights include “Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming” and “In Dulci Jubilo.” Children’s voices shine in this haunting and joyous celebration of the Christ child.
“Charged with Apollo’s Fire’s signature energy… a spark that grows into a blaze.” – GRAMOPHONE TAKE THE MUSIC HOME!
Tuesday
February 3, 7:30pm
Fullerton Hall
Art Institute of CHICAGO
Wednesday
February 4, 7:30pm
Nichols Concert Hall
Music Institute of Chicago
EVANSTON
WINTER Sparks
from Bach & Vivaldi
Enjoy light bites, “spark”ling beverages, and great conversation after the concert!
Kathie Stewart, flute | Debra Nagy, oboe
Alan Choo, violin | HyunKun Cho, viola da gamba
In this cozy winter program, eight Apollo’s Fire musicians set sparks flying in virtuoso works of J.S. Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, and more. Debra Nagy takes the spotlight in a lively Vivaldi oboe concerto, while Kathie Stewart and Alan Choo lead a fiery chamber performance of Bach’s Orchestral Suite no. 2. Viola da gambist HyunKun Cho steals the thunder in Marais’ famous Sonnerie de Sainte Geneviève, an imaginative showpiece evoking the sounds of church bells in Paris.
“The featured soloists, who can knock the socks off an audience with their dazzling playing alone, reached deep into their reservoirs of charm to make personal connections with their listeners.“
–CLEVELANDCLASSICAL.COM
Friday
April 17, 7:30pm
Nichols Concert Hall
Music Institute of Chicago
EVANSTON
Saturday
April 18, 7:30pm
KAM Isaiah Israel
HYDE PARK
Sunday
April 19, 5:00pm
CHICAGO Cultural Center
O Jerusalem!
Crossroads of Three Faiths
“A voyage of faith for the 21st century”
– SEEN & HEARD INTERNATIONAL (UK)
Daphna Mor, ney, recorder, vocals | Ronnie Malley, oud
Ringing with urgency in our time, this acclaimed program created by Jeannette Sorrell returns in a fresh version. Honoring the peoples whose music and faith brought such vibrancy to the MiddleEast, 26 artists from Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, and Christian backgrounds perform on oud, theorbo, medieval harp, zither, strings, and exotic percussion.
Generously sponsored by PATRICIA COSTANTE & STEPHANIE CHAMPI (Chicago)
DR. JAMES & MRS. RITA SHEININ (Evanston)
In Old Jerusalem, the music of three faiths intertwines, and surprising cross-influences emerge. Selections from Monteverdi’s rapturous Vespers of 1610 echo the florid singing of the Jewish cantors and the Muslim call to prayer. A Sephardic ballad leads to an Arabic love song. The rhythms of daily life – love, dancing, and prayer – culminate in a joyous celebration of shared humanity.
CATCH APOLLO’S FIRE AROUND THE WORLD!
August 13 – RAVINIA Festival
Fencing Match (Tickets through Ravinia)
November 9 – Columbus, OH
Mozart Requiem
December 16 – University of Notre Dame
Praetorius Christmas Vespers
February 6 – Sanibel Island, FL
February 8 – Richmond, VA
Bach’s Coffeehouse
April 12 – New York City O Jerusalem!
APRIL 2026 – LONDON MINI-RESIDENCY at St. Martin-in-the-Fields
DID YOU KNOW?
Apollo’s Fire’s Community Access Initiative has served more than 50,000 people with free/discounted tickets and free programming. Learn more at apollosfire.org/ community-access-initiative.
April 24 – FENCING MATCH: Apollo’s Fire vs. The Brits! With members of the renowned English Baroque Soloists
April 24 – BAKLAVA BASH: A Middle Eastern Celebration Late night concert in the Crypt April 25 – O JERUSALEM! Crossroads of Three Faiths Jeannette’s acclaimed program travels to London
