If this had been a normal year, I would have been in Boston now, attending the biennial Boston Early Music Festival as I have done five or six times before. I would be fighting off jet lag and trying to keep my eyes open during the opening opera, “Le Carnaval de Venise,” although dazzled by the colorful costumes and the splendid baroque instrumentalists and dancers.

Instead, I am home in Honolulu, watching the baroque opera on my large screen TV. Kathleen Fay, Executive Director of the Boston Early Music Festival, wrote a letter to the BEMF subscribers, telling of the decision to present the festival virtually, starting today.

“Doing so meant considerable risk to be sure, but this decision potentially opened up a new and thrilling range of possibilities for all participants: over 150 employed artists could perform from their studios and nearby venues, without the hassles of visas, pandemic permission, housing challenges, and travel to Boston; exhibitors could display their work globally from their workshops …; and audiences both individually and in small groups, could safely and conveniently attend performances from their homes at far lower cost, at a time that worked best, and revisit them as they wished.”

The results from the virtual BEMF concerts have been impressive: eight videos garnered 46,000 views and since March 2020 there have been over 200,000 views on the BEMF YouTube channel from more than 60 countries across all 6 inhabited continents… BEMF is clearly now a “global celebration.”

Personally I figured I saved about $2,000 in airfare, hotel, meals and costs of transportation to and from Jordan Hall. Whereas in previous years I spent nearly $800 in tickets, this year the complete festival for 16 concerts is only $150. Individual concerts range from only $10 to $25. And the videos will stay “up” through July 11th, which means I’ll have plenty of time to view them and more than once if I want. And I don’t have to get upset at anyone talking during the performance, coughing, or opening up candy wrappers!

Here is a description of Campra’s “Le Carnaval de Venice”:

The GRAMMY-winning Boston Early Music Festival returns to its video archives for an enchanting spectacle of music and dance with a virtual presentation of our 2017 production of Le Carnaval de Venise, André Campra’s captivating 1699 opéra-ballet. Join four star-crossed lovers as they experience the delights of the Carnival season in Venice—seen onstage in a colorful parade of beautiful, period-inspired costumes and magnificent sets—enjoying games, dances, and even a brilliantly realized “opera within an opera”, a miniature Italian opera on the Orpheus myth. Campra was the leading composer of opera in France between the death of Lully and the emergence of Rameau, and thrilled audiences and royal patrons alike with some of the most gorgeous music in the Baroque repertoire. This exquisite gem joins the elegance of French dance with the boisterous hilarity of Italian commedia dell’arte to produce a splendid feast for eyes and ears!

BEMF’s GRAMMY–winning Musical Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs and internationally acclaimed Stage Director Gilbert Blin lead the production, which features an outstanding cast of 19 singers, the 27-member Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra led by Concertmaster Robert Mealy, a troupe of 10 Baroque dancers led by Dance Director Melinda Sullivan and performing choreography by Caroline Copeland, lavish costumes designed by Anna Watkins, and sumptuous staging inspired by the color and variety of 17th-century operatic spectacle.

The Boston Early Music Festival is the best and biggest of all the early music festivals and I heartily recommend them to anyone who loves early music. These performances are all world-class, and now you don’t need to fly to Boston to enjoy them. It’s not too late to buy tickets!

Website: https://bemf.org/2021-festival/

The opera lasts three hours and I’m watching it this afternoon before going out to play for St. Andrew’s Priory graduation later tonight.

Today marked the restart of in-person worship at Nuuanu Congregational Church, and I was able to get in my 2-1/2 mile walk before my arrival at 8:25 am to check my organ registrations for the 9:00 am service. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to be back at church in person, and although people were not supposed to sing, I did hear some people humming along to the two hymns I played. But not to worry—everyone wore masks, were safely socially distanced, and had their temperatures taken upon entering the church.

It really felt good to play for people in person!