Page 233 - FINAL_The Sixteen Coverage Book 40th Anniversary Year

7 November 2019

Q & A: Harry Christophers On The

White Light Festival & A Big Year for

The Sixteen

By Francisco Salazar

On Nov. 7, the White Light Festival in Lincoln Center will present the U.S. premieres
of James MacMillan’s widely acclaimed “Stabat Mater” and “Miserere” as part of the
10th anniversary of the festival. Harry Christophers, music director and founder
of The Sixteen choir, will lead both works alongside the Britten Sinfonia ensemble.

It’s a big year for Christophers, who is celebrating the 40th anniversary of The
Sixteen and is making his White Light Festival debut.

The conductor recently spoke with OperaWire about his collaborations with James
MacMillan and the importance of this year’s season for his career.

OperaWire: Since this is your first time appearing in the

White Light Festival, what aspects of the festival are you

most excited about? Why is it important for The Sixteen
to perform as part of the White Light Festival?

Harry Christophers: The sheer ethos of the White Light Festival makes it a perfect
companion to The Sixteen. They aim to illuminate the many dimensions of our
interior lives and we at The Sixteen aim always to explore the emotions of our
listeners by bringing them into our sound world and communicating with them.

OW: You are celebrating your 40th anniversary with The

Sixteen. How has the group grown over the years?

HC: It is hard for me to imagine that that fledgling group of singers I put together in
May 1979 has developed into the ensemble it is today. The aim from the very start
was that we loved the music of the renaissance and wanted to perform it. The fact

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