Jupiter Ensemble at the Isabel
If the words ‘Baroque concert’ make you picture everyone sitting perfectly still, give Jupiter Ensemble a Tuesday night. The period-instrument group comes to the Isabel on November 24 with music inspired by the myth of the Amazons. The program draws on Vivaldi, Francesco Cavalli, André Cardinal Destouches and others. There’s a story behind the music, and plenty of room for the musicians to make it feel alive in front of you.
A myth told through Baroque music
Listen for the way the ensemble changes the mood as the program moves from one composer to another. A driving passage can give way to a more intimate sound, and a repeated figure can feel quite different when another instrument takes it up. The program puts composers from different parts of Baroque Europe into the same conversation, so it’s a chance to hear both what they share and where they take off in their own directions.
Jupiter brings together musicians who play period instruments. Their attack, articulation and blend are part of the experience. You don’t need to identify every instrument by name to enjoy that. Try listening for the little moments where the bass line pulls the music forward or where one player’s phrase seems to give another their cue. That’s the kind of detail you can catch when everyone is making the music in the same room.
A change of pace for Tuesday
Take a friend who likes a good story or someone who’s curious about how older music sounds when players approach it with energy. Vivaldi is a familiar place to start, and you may come away wanting to look up a composer you hadn’t heard before.
When and where
Tuesday, November 24, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.. Jennifer Velva Bernstein Performance Hall, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, 390 King Street West, Kingston. Tickets are $60–$65 through the Isabel box office.
