SUBMITTED BY ARTSPRING
ArtSpring’s January lineup is all about breathing new life into classic musical traditions, and Victoria Baroque and The Fretless are kicking off the year with groundbreaking concerts that offer a rare glimpse into the future of “traditional” music. These two ensembles, while distinct in genre, share a common thread: they refuse to let musical history stand still.
Victoria Baroque with Mireille Asselin & Jesse Blumberg
As is our January tradition, Victoria Baroque is returning to the ArtSpring stage. This Saturday, Jan. 17 at 2:30 p.m., Victoria Baroque invites audiences to step out of the winter chill and into a world of celestial passion with their latest program, Of Gods & Lovers. This epic journey through mythological love stories reinvigorates ancient romances through the music of Baroque masters Handel, Rameau and Purcell, plus a striking new composition from Canadian composer Danika Loren.
At the helm of this performance are two of the opera and early music worlds’ most versatile voices. Soprano Mireille Asselin, hailed as a “treasure” by the Toronto Star, has sung five seasons with the Metropolitan Opera and performed with Canadian operas and orchestras from coast to coast. Beside her, “golden-toned baritone” Jesse Blumberg lends his profound expertise in early music. Blumberg has charmed early music audiences the world over; his extensive touring resume includes international stages ranging from the Minnesota Opera to the Château de Versailles to London’s Royal Festival Hall. Together, the pair navigates a demanding repertoire that spans the heartbreaking lament of Henry Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas to the fiery, unyielding pursuit of Apollo and Daphne.
Victoria Baroque has evolved into one of the region’s most vital cultural gems. Now celebrating its 15th season, this ensemble of early music experts specializes in creating innovative performances that embody the richness of Baroque music traditions. Delivered on 18th-century instruments, their sound is rhythmic, dance-driven and intensely personal. This matinee promises more than just a concert; it is a vivid exploration of romance, tragedy and the enduring power of music to bridge the gap between the mortal and the divine.
The Fretless with Madeleine Roger
The Fretless members are no strangers to the ArtSpring stage. Following their phenomenal ArtSpring Presents performances in 2017 and 2022, this singularly euphoric string quartet returns on Friday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. with singer-songwriter Madeleine Roger to perform highlights from their latest album, Glasswing.
The Fretless are uniquely poised to revolutionize the folk world. Through a process of deconstruction and transformation, the quartet draws upon fiddle traditions from around the world to create an intricate, high-energy sound that transcends genre while honouring its traditional roots. Since their debut in 2012, the ensemble has steadily ascended into the global spotlight, racking up accolades including a Juno Award and three Canadian Folk Music Awards. Their career has taken them from intimate pubs to the world’s most prestigious stages, such as Scotland’s Royal Glasgow Concert Hall and Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, proving that their music is as at home in a classical chamber hall as it is at a muddy bluegrass festival.
This return to ArtSpring marks a particularly soulful chapter for the group. Glasswing is their most introspective album to date, blending the band’s signature chamber-folk arrangements with the hauntingly honest songwriting of Madeleine Roger. A celebrated artist in her own right, Roger’s unflinchingly raw lyrics garnered rave reviews for her most recent solo album, Nerve. Having spent years touring the international festival circuit — from the Shetland Islands to the Winnipeg Folk Festival — she serves as the perfect vocal foil to the quartet’s rhythmic complexity.
The collaboration represents a meeting of minds that defies easy categorization. One thing we can say for certain, though, is that this show’s audience won’t stay seated for long. With the quartet’s rhythmic drive and Madeleine Roger’s emotional lyricism, this evening promises a performance with the sensibility of a chamber quartet and the foot-stomping spirit of a kitchen party. Whether you are a longtime folk enthusiast or a newcomer to the genre, this is an invitation to witness the boundaries of traditional music being pushed further than ever before. Don’t miss this chance to see why The Fretless remains one of Canada’s most essential and exhilarating musical exports.
Tickets for ArtSpring Presents performances are available through purchase.artspring.ca, or the box office, which is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.