By Pamela Espeland | MinnPost Wednesday, March 20, 2019 – 10:04 AM: https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2019/03/260-films-from-77-nations-coming-our-way-in-april/ Courtesy of the Film Society of Minneapolis/St. Paul A still from MSPIFF’s opening night film, “Yuli,” about the life of Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta. The 38th Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival is just over two weeks away. Tickets go on sale to the…  Read More →

Brad Richason | CityPages http://www.citypages.com/calendar/candide/393423261   Candide DAILY FROM MARCH 21-23, 7:30 P.M. DAILY FROM MARCH 23-24, 2 P.M. $35-$45 CHORAL, CLASSICAL, THEATER   Based on the 1759 novella by Voltaire, Candide’s satirical storyline follows its titular character as calamity drives him from a sheltered upbringing to a journey of discovery. Along the way, he reunites…  Read More →

Brad Richason | CityPages Wednesday, March 20, 2019: http://www.citypages.com/arts/a-fan-made-robocop-mark-mallman-and-nora-mcinerny-release-books-a-list-march-20/507370821 Here’s our picks for great happenings this week. Candide Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts Based on the 1759 novella by Voltaire, Candide’s satirical storyline follows its titular character as calamity drives him from a sheltered upbringing to a journey of discovery. Along the way, he…  Read More →

Star Tribune MARCH 17, 2019 — 2:00PM: http://www.startribune.com/the-week-s-five-best-twin-cities-classical-concerts/507213622/ Medieval gets modern Picture a trio singing medieval works. Add newly penned pieces and plenty of electronics. Then squint a little, adjusting for the unexpected. Liquid Music and the Walker Art Center present an evening that toggles between 12th-century chants and world premieres. Vocal trio ModernMedieval —…  Read More →

by Basil Considine | Twin Cities Arts Reader March 18, 2019: https://twincitiesarts.com/2019/03/18/interview-soprano-liv-redpath-on-singing-in-the-best-of-all-possible-worlds/ Opera is seemingly everywhere in the Twin Cities in March, with productions and concerts by the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Opera, Skylark Opera Theatre, and more. Into this tangled period leaps the choral music ensemble VocalEssence, which has chosen “The Best of All Possible…  Read More →

By Terry Blain | Special to the Star Tribune MARCH 17, 2019 — 11:11AM: http://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-team-tries-to-fix-leonard-bernstein-s-biggest-flop/507161192/ Theater Latté Da doubles up with VocalEssence to rethink a confounding musical theater work. Photo: Allen Weeks After opening on Broadway in 1956, Leonard Bernstein’s operetta “Candide” ran for a paltry 73 performances. That’s a disaster in terms of music theater.…  Read More →

VocalEssence founder and artistic director Philip Brunelle was featured on Steele Talkin’ with Jearlyn Steele March 3, 2019 to talk about Candide, The Times They Are A-Changin’, and the VocalEssence 2019-2020 Season. Check out the interview below.

By Pamela Espeland MinnPost FEBRUARY 28, 2019 — 08:24AM https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2019/02/vocalessence-to-present-witness-times-two-joffrey-ballet-to-perform-anna-karenina/   VocalEssence was born in 1969 as the Plymouth Church Music Series. Just another concert series at a local church, founded by an ambitious, tireless and hypercreative choir director and organist named Philip Brunelle. In 2002, the Plymouth Music Series became VocalEssence. Today, Brunelle and his singers are…  Read More →

By Ross Raihala | rraihala@pioneerpress.com | Pioneer Press February 25, 2019 at 7:00 am https://www.twincities.com/2019/02/25/vocalessences-51st-season-includes-family-concerts-festivals-and-a-moana-singalong/ A “Moana” movie singalong, the addition of a second Witness concert and a celebration of the music of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn are on tap for VocalEssence’s newly announced 51st season. Season tickets are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale Aug. 5.…  Read More →

by Ross Raihala | Pioneer Press February 21, 2019 at 1:00 pm https://www.twincities.com/2019/02/21/vocalessences-witness-concert-honors-ilhan-omar-hallie-q-brown-other-trailblazers/  Back in 2017, VocalEssence associate conductor G. Phillip Shoultz III was starting to plan the group’s annual Witness concert and was thinking about influential women who changed everything. “I was struck by what is going on in our society with the rise and…  Read More →

By Terry Blain | Special to the Star Tribune DECEMBER 27, 2018 — 6:00PM: http://www.startribune.com/13-minnesota-arts-and-entertainment-events-we-can-t-wait-to-see-in-2019/503577762/?fbclid=IwAR0szEUvKgQVVyMrF_HyLRvc-oBbQibYD1BDX28m0YE9MuYumoyks-4ZWt0 Star Tribune critics and editors anticipate most promising art and entertainment. ‘Candide,’ Cowles Center, March 21-24 A world gone crazy, full of unpredictable perils and reverses of fortune. Sound familiar? It’s the back story to Leonard Bernstein’s operetta “Candide,” a rambunctious treatment of Voltaire’s…  Read More →