What was happening in Bach's world when he sat down to write six cantatas for the Christmas season? What was he borrowing, bending, or quietly rebelling against? This free, informal talk gives you the backstory — the politics, the personalities, the musical choices — so that when the Christmas Oratorio begins days later, you're not just listening. You're recognizing.

To register, call the OLLI office at 207-780-4406. Attendance is limited to 50 participants. Hosted in partnership with Classical Uprising and The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. This series leads up to the Christmas Oratorio concert on November 7 in Brunswick and November 15 in Portland.

Participation in this series is free and includes a discount code for the Christmas Oratorio concert. You may purchase tickets to the Christmas Oratorio concert by clicking the button below.