A meeting of opera and oratorio, this theatrical setting of religious texts brought Dvořák's devout Catholicism together with the unmistakable dramatic style of Czech repertoire of the time.

A masterpiece of the choral repertoire, this was Dvorak’s first major sacred work, sketched and completed soon after all three of his children died in infancy. The grand, symphonic scale of the work does nothing to diminish the heart-wrenching and deeply moving emotion conveyed through the virtuosic vocal writing for a quartet of soloists with chorus and orchestra.

Conducted by Cambridge Philharmonic's Music Director Harry Sever.

BBC Music Magazine ‘Rising Star’ conductor Harry Sever is fast developing a wide-ranging repertoire and a fluency in both operatic and orchestral style. A finalist in both the LSO’s Donatella Flick and the Athens International Conducting Competitions, he is currently the Ring Cycle Conducting Fellow at Longborough Festival Opera. Recent engagements include Carmen (Opera North), Siegfried (Longborough), Fantasio (Garsington), La Traviata (Opera Holland Park), Cendrillon (Bampton Classical Opera), The Nutcracker (Peter Schaufuss Ballet), concerts with the orchestra of Welsh National Opera and recordings with the orchestra of Opera North.

Cambridge Philarmonic is delighted to be performing with the following soloists:

Hanna Hipp

Hanna Hipp’s ardent and impassioned singing make her a favourite for the leading lyric mezzo repertoire around the world with her recent roles including a critically acclaimed portrayal of Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale at Royal Danish Theatre (Jessica Cottis), Der Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos at Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Cornelius Meister) and Opera North (Antony Hermus), Dorabella in Così fan tutte at Seattle Opera (Paul Daniel), English National Opera (Kerem Hasan) and New Zealand Opera (Natalie Murray Beale), Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Antonio Pappano).

Esther Mallett

Soprano Esther Mallett studied at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama supported by scholarship and the VEC Acorn Trust, and English National Opera on their Opera Works programme. Prior to this she read music at The University of Oxford where she held a choral scholarship. She enjoys a diverse performing career on the operatic stage, concert platform, and recently made her TV debut in Season 4 of The Crown (Netflix) as an opera singer.

Whilst at the GSMD, Esther was selected by Graham Johnson for his Song Guild , performed a role in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the prestigious Opera Course department, and coached contemporary repertoire with Jane Manning, Lana Bode and Judith Weir. She made her professional debuts with West Green House and the Tête-à-Tête festival whilst still studying.

*Esther joins the chorus at the Royal Opera House for the 23/24 season as a 1st soprano.*

Tristan Hambleton

Born in London, Tristan Hambleton studied at St John’s College Cambridge University, Heidelberg Universität Germany and the Royal Academy of Music London. He has performed with leading orchestras including: The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Hallé, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Britten Sinfonia and Le Concert d’Astrée. In venues including: Wigmore Hall, Usher Hall, Auditorium de Bordeaux, The Bridgewater Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. He has sung for companies such as: Glyndebourne Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opéra de Lille and Opéra National de Bordeaux.

Tom Smith

The young British tenor Tom Smith graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Musicand Drama (RWCMD) with an Master Degree in Opera. In 2015 he made his professional debut at Glyndebourne Festival Opera as a Lehrbuben in Sir David McVicar’s award winning production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Operatic roles at RWCMD include Jupiter/Semele, Lippo/Street Sceneand Fenton/Falstaff. Tom Smith is a Samling Young Artist and recipient of The Musicians Company Silver Medal. A keen recitalist, Tom is proud to be an Artist on the Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now scheme.