(5 out of 5 stars) The Cambridge Singers have made several Christmas albums, and all of them are top notch. This particular one was done in 1989, and has several songs in honour of the Nativity. Their performance was done at one of their regular recording spots, the Great Hall of University College School, London. Music
The music here consists of 21 carols, motets and oratorio choruses. These range from the great For unto us a child is born of G.F. Handel s oratorio Messiah to well known familiar Christmas carols to folk/traditional tunes from France, Canada, Basque, Germany, and England. Composers represented in addition to Handel include Britten, Victoria, Adam, Mason, Sweelinck, Sceidt, Adam, Berlioz, and Cambridge Singers director, John Rutter, who provides two of his own compositoins, Angel s Carol and What sweeter music .
One of the beloved traditions of the holidays is seeing a production of the Nutcracker ballet. In Berks County and the Lehigh Valley, we are fortunate to have several performed every year. This year, however, is a little different, with arts venues closed because of COVID-19 concerns, so ballet companies are getting creative and recording video of their productions so they can present them virtually.
This is the 52nd production of the classic ballet and it is the longest running Nutcracker in the Lehigh Valley. The production features more than 60 professional, pre-professional and student performers.
Guest artists this year are Oksana Maslova as Sugar Plum Fairy and Sterling Baca as her Cavalier. Both are principal dancers with Pennsylvania Ballet of Philadelphia.