Oregon Bach Festival’s first season under the directorship of Matthew Halls promises to be as diverse and widespread as the conductor’s own musical passions.

The 45th running of the University of Oregon’s cultural gem takes place June 25 to July 13 in Eugene, Portland and other Oregon cities. It will range from Monteverdi to Verdi, Bach to Rachmaninoff and Mozart to Milhaud, with guest appearances by Gabriela Montero, the Eugene Ballet Company and the Portland Baroque Orchestra.

Among the highlights recently announced are the world premiere of Halls’ own reconstruction of Bach’s lost St. Mark Passion, completed in collaboration with Zurich-based scholar and organist Dominik Sackmann.

Halls, who succeeded Helmuth Rilling as artistic director July 15, launches his inaugural season with Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers. The St. Mark and Monteverdi concerts will be presented both in Eugene and in Portland as part of the Festival’s BachFest PDX series.

In Eugene, Halls will conduct the Rachmaninoff Vespers and, in the Festival finale, the Verdi Requiem.

“There's never been a time when I haven't been dipping into all sorts of interesting and diverse pockets of repertoire—both in the concert hall and on the opera stage,” Hall said. “That fascination with variety, that diversity of music-making is what keeps me excited and fulfilled as a musician.” 

Tickets go on sale in February 2014.

- from an Oregon Bach Festival news release