Musica Angelica, Southern California’s leading Baroque orchestra, has announced its 2025–26 season: a stirring farewell to Artistic Director Martin Haselböck, whose 22-year leadership transformed the ensemble into a national and international force in historically informed performance.
Founded in 1993 and now in its 33rd season, Musica Angelica is known for performances on period instruments that are both historically accurate and artistically daring. Since taking the helm in 2003, Haselböck has shaped Musica Angelica’s artistic identity, bringing European authenticity, stylistic rigor and interpretive passion to every performance. Under his leadership, the ensemble has toured internationally and collaborated with major institutions including LA Opera, Long Beach Opera, Pacific Chorale and the LA Master Chorale.
This season serves as a tribute to Haselböck’s legacy — a chance for audiences to experience the depth and elegance that have defined more than two decades of musical excellence. The four concerts feature rich, expressive repertoire spanning the golden eras of Italian, German and sacred music, including Haselböck’s final interpretation of Bach’s monumental St. Matthew Passion. Performances will take place at First Congregational Church of Long Beach and First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. The season opener is Saturday, Oct. 18, and Sunday, Oct. 19.
See the full season schedule below, after Culture Spot’s Q&A with Haselböck.
Q&A WITH MARTIN HASELBÖCK
What is your proudest accomplishment as music director for Musica Angelica?
To have directed a baroque orchestra in Southern California, which has been praised internationally for its quality, for the recordings and for the concerts at home and on tour — in North and South America and in the major concert halls in Europe. To have made contact with wonderful artists and to have built an artistic bridge between California and my homeland Austria.
After all these years, is it possible to choose a favorite concert or project with Musica Angelica? What would you choose as your highlights and why?
Our production of “The Infernal Comedy” with the actor John Malkovich in 2008. This first cooperation of a Hollywood movie actor with a baroque orchestra did create a new and fascinating form of musical theater and was so successful that over the years it was performed more than 150 times on all continents.
What are you most looking forward to in your farewell season?
To make music with wonderful singers and musicians in our last performances of Bach’s masterpiece, his St. Matthew Passion, a work which we were able to perform 26 times over the years with a selection of wonderful vocal and instrumental soloists in concerts in Los Angeles, in New York, in Mexico City and in Europe. This farewell concert will happen almost 50 years after my first concert as an organist in Los Angeles in 1976. What a coincidence.
2025–26 CONCERT SEASON
- Quattrocento: Four Centuries of Italian Music
A sweeping journey through four centuries of Italy’s musical brilliance, from Renaissance polyphony to the grandeur of high Baroque.
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Long Beach
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 | 3 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (Sanctuary)
- A Baroque Christmas in Germany
Festive, elegant and deeply joyful — this holiday program highlights the rich seasonal traditions of Germany’s Baroque masters.
Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Long Beach
Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 | 3 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (Shatto Chapel)
- Valentine to the Viola da Gamba
An intimate and expressive concert centered on one of the Baroque era’s most poetic instruments, featuring solo and ensemble works that showcase its warm, human voice.
Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Long Beach
Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 | 3 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (Shatto Chapel)
- St. Matthew Passion
Johann Sebastian Bach’s towering masterpiece, conducted for the final time by Martin Haselböck as artistic director of Musica Angelica. A farewell concert of extraordinary emotional power.
Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 6 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Long Beach
Sunday, March 29, 2026 | 3 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Long Beach – Sanctuary
*Programming is subject to change.
Season subscriptions range from $169 to $337. Visit www.musicaangelica.org or call the box office at (562) 276-0865 to reserve tickets.
- CONNECT WITH MUSICA ANGELICA
Website: www.musicaangelica.org
Instagram: @musicaangelica
Facebook: facebook.com/TheMusicaAngelica/
Photo of Musica Angelica Artistic Director Martin Haselböck / courtesy of Musica Angelica