Two young classical singers will join veteran musicians from Evanston’s Bach Week Festival in concert at the organization’s second annual “Bachtoberfest” fundraiser, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 at Schaefer’s Wines, Foods & Spirits, 9965 Gross Point Road, Skokie.
The casual-dress event, open to the public, will begin with a wine tasting and continue with a concert featuring music of J.S. Bach. Proceeds will benefit Bach Week, a rite of spring in the Chicago area since 1974 and the Midwest’s premiere baroque music festival.
The evening’s special guests, Boston-based soprano Emily Hindrichs and New York-based mezzo-soprano Robin Flynn, will sing the duet “Wir eilen ” (“We hasten”) from Bach’s Cantata No. 78 and composer Gioachino Rossini’s “Cat Duet,” a comical encore piece whose lyrics consist of the Italian word for “meow.”
Both musicians plan to complete the Chicago Marathon the day of the benefit, following the lead of the evening’s conductor and emcee, Richard Webster, an avid marathon runner. Mr. Webster, longtime music director of the Bach Week Festival, will have run the marathon dressed in an outfit he describes as “The Cat in the Hat Is Bach” to raise money for the festival.
As befits the occasion, the Bach Week Festival Chorus will entertain with a selection of Baroque and Renaissance drinking songs.
Tickets for the fundraiser are $50 per person. Event information and reservations are available at 847-648-0813 or www.bachweek.org.