Mounting Bach’s St. John Passion involves far more than preparing the choir. A full production requires an orchestra (in our case, an orchestra performing on period instruments), and five vocal soloists, all of them especially adept at singing eighteenth century music. Much of our success depends upon locating singers and players who can handle this very specialized repertoire.
Our soprano soloist, Hannah De Priest, has been called a “natural Handelian” by Chicago Classical Review, and is especially sought after for masterworks from the high baroque. Her opera credits include Belinda in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, Ïole in Handel’s Hercules, Drusilla in Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea, Isabelle in Campra’s Le Carnaval de Venise, and Oberto and Morgana in Handel’s Alcina. As an oratorio soloist, she has performed major works by Handel, Mozart, Bach, Purcell, and Vivaldi, as well as newly-composed works, including Lost Objects, which was collaboratively written by Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe. In Chicago, she is a regular soloist with Ars Musica Chicago, an early music collective led by renowned harpsichordist Jason Moy.
Hannah De Priest, Soprano
Hannah was recently the sole American finalist in the Concours Corneille, an international baroque singing competition in Rouen, France. She is an alumna of The Boston Early Music Festival Young Artist Program, the Carmel Bach Festival Virginia Adams Best Masterclass, and the American Bach Soloists Academy. She holds advanced degrees from McGill University and Case Western Reserve University. On the recital stage, Hannah collaborates frequently with pianist Michael Pecak. The duo was recently selected to participate in the prestigious Oxford Lieder Mastercourse and will perform Beethoven’s seminal An die ferne Geliebte in Chicago later this spring.
Bass David Govertsen, who will sing the role of Jesus, is also based in Chicago, where he has been active as a professional singer for nearly twenty years, portraying a wide variety of opera’s low-voiced heroes, villains, and buffoons. Mr. Govertsen has appeared as a soloist with numerous local and regional opera companies, including Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, Tulsa Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and the Haymarket Opera Company. He is a member of the vocal chamber quartet Fourth Coast Ensemble, performing art song in Chicago and throughout the Midwest.
David Govertsen, Bass
As a concert soloist Mr. Govertsen has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, among many others. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2011 as the Herald in Otello with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti. He is an alumnus of the Ryan Opera Center and the Santa Fe Opera and Central City Opera apprentice programs, and holds degrees from Northwestern University, Northern Illinois University and the College of DuPage. Mr. Govertsen is currently on faculty at North Park University, Valparaiso University, Lewis University and the College of DuPage.