The Theatre of Early Music
Founded by Artistic Director Daniel Taylor and based in Canada, the choir and orchestra of
The Theatre of Early Music are sought-after interpreters of captivating, lesser-known
choral and instrumental repertoire that spans over four centuries. The ensemble, comprising
some of the world's finest musicians who share a passion for early music, presents
thought-provoking, passionate, and committed reconstructions of music for historical events
and major oratorio works. The Theatre of Early Music performs in the world's most renowned
concert halls and festivals, and is building an exciting discography in partnership with
Sony Masterworks.
Leading international musicians in the field perform with the ensemble in its regular
series in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto; on tours around the world; and on recordings. The
Theatre of Early Music recently performed on stages in France, Argentina, Brazil, England,
and China; this season brings the ensemble on its first tour of the US.
The Theatre of Early Music released its first album on BIS Records in 2005, featuring
Couperin's Leçons de ténèbres. This highly praised disc was followed by an
imaginative Renaissance program, Love Bade Me Welcome, featuring poetry readings
by actor Ralph Fiennes and countertenor duets. Stabat Mater was released by BIS
Records in 2009, with music by Bach, Pergolesi, and Vivaldi. In 2011, Come Again, Sweet
Love was released worldwide on the Sony label.
Daniel Taylor
An exclusive recording artist for Sony Masterworks, Daniel Taylor is one of the most
sought-after countertenors in the world. He has made more than 90 recordings, including an
album of Bach cantatas with the English Baroque Soloists and Sir John Eliot Gardiner, a
Gramophone Award-winning recording of Handel's Rinaldo with the Academy
of Ancient Music and Christopher Hogwood, a Sony recording of Ryuichi Sakamoto's pop opera
Life with the Dalai Lama as narrator, and a BIS recording of Bach cantatas with
the Bach Collegium Japan and Masaaki Suzuki.
Mr. Taylor's debut at Glyndebourne in Handel's Theodora drew critical praise,
following his operatic debut in Jonathan Miller's production of Rodelinda.
His North American opera debut took place at the Metropolitan Opera in a production of
GiulioCesare. Mr. Taylor has performed with the San Francisco Symphony,
St. Louis Symphony, New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, Toronto Symphony
Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Rotterdam
Philharmonic Orchestra. He has sung under the batons of conductors Helmuth Rilling,
Nicholas McGegan, Peter Oundjian, Trevor Pinnock, Charles Dutoit, and Valery Gergiev.
In recent seasons, Mr. Taylor made his debuts with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and
Madrid National Orchestra. He also performed with the Handel and Haydn Society; the
Nashville, San Diego, and San Francisco symphonies; Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra; and
Orchestre symphonique de Québec. Mr. Taylor toured Europe with the Academy of Ancient Music
and appeared in recital at Wigmore Hall. He also toured Europe performing Purcell's odes
with the Gabrieli Consort & Players and Paul McCreesh, appeared in recital on Polish
television, performed Purcell's Dido and Aeneas on tour, and sang in Bach's
Christmas Oratorio with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. Mr. Taylor appeared in
Handel's Israel in Egypt with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir in
a televised performance at the BBC Proms; he returned later to perform in recital with the
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin.
Mr. Taylor is a voice professor at the University of Toronto and University of Ottawa, an
adjunct professor at McGill University, and a visiting scholar at the University of
Victoria. He is the artistic director of The Theatre of Early Music, which performs more
than 30 concerts a year in concert halls all over the world.