Concordia University Ann Arbor is pleased to, once again, usher in the Christmas season with the annual Boar’s Head Festival with daily performances in the Chapel of the Holy Trinity from November 30 – December 2.
A beloved campus tradition for over 40 years, the Boar’s Head Festival will be performed for the first time without the original King Wenceslas, Dr. Neil Skov. Skov, a professor emeritus at CUAA, is passing on his royal robe to Jonathon Neuendorf, whose own participation in Boar’s Head dates back to his childhood days.
Boar’s Head is directed by Director of Theatre, Gerald Dzuiblinski, with musical direction by Dr. Brian Altevogt, director of choirs.
“Boar’s Head is our Christmas card to the community of Ann Arbor and to the community of Concordia,” says Altevogt. “The multi-generational dimension of school-aged children, the tender youth of the sprite, the reveling wassailers and the elegant Lords and Ladies with a backdrop of singing, dancing, and orchestral music, create a unique presentation that celebrates the birth of our King.”
In 1978, three professors – Dr. Paul Foelber, John Sturmfels, and Quentin Marino – brought the Boar’s Head Festival to CUAA.
While the tradition of the Boar’s Head Festival dates back to the 14th century in England, the actual symbol of serving boar can be traced to ancient Roman times when boar was the preferred dish at great feasts. In medieval England, Christians considered the wild boar to be a ferocious beast and a symbol for evil. They adapted the Roman feast custom of serving a boar’s head on a platter to represent the triumph of the Christ child over evil.
Performance times for Concordia’s Boar’s Head Festival are Friday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, December 2 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. on Monday, October 29. For tickets and show information visit Kreft Arts Programs.
Also happening on CUAA’s campus that weekend is A Manor Christmas. Visitors are invited to tour the historic Earhart Manor decorated in full Christmas splendor, peruse the festival of trees, and find one-of-a-kind items in the Christmas market.
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