Triniti Restaurant & Mercury, the Orchestra Redefined Present
An Unforgettable Evening of Music , Food & Spirits:
The Seven Deadly Sins
October 4, 2015 | Houston TX
Chef-owner Ryan Hildebrand
Triniti Restaurant & Sanctuari Bar
Since opening Triniti in December of 2011, Ryan and the talented culinary team he has assembled continue to set a culinary standard for “fine, casual” dining in Houston with dishes that are as visually beautiful as they are delicious. A Houston native, Hildebrand graduated from Baylor University with a degree in fine art before pursuing his culinary journey. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, he estaged at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole restaurant in NYC before returning to Houston to hone his craft working with some of Houston’s finest chefs -- Philippe Schmidt at Bistro Moderne, Jim Mills at the Houstonian Club, and Scott Tycer at Textile restaurant.
At Triniti he has garnered both local and national acclaim – Forbes magazine said “Hildebrand’s offerings represent progressive American food at its finest, and Triniti is an excellent addition to, and competition for, Houston’s standard bearers.”
About Triniti Restaurant
Named for the culinary trio of sweet, savory and spirits, Triniti is a progressive American restaurant whose menu focuses on the region's Gulf Coast terroir as well as a global sourcing of the best ingredients available.
The critically acclaimed Triniti is located at the crossroads of Houston's Montrose and Upper Kirby neighborhoods. The dining room features an open kitchen that allows diners to view the talented team that prepares their meal, a casually elegant ambience, plus Sanctuari Bar and lounge,which serves some of the best cocktails in the City.
Antoine Plante
Artistic Director
Praised by audiences and musicians alike for his conducting verve and innovative programming, Antoine Plante has garnered praise for bringing music to life. "Plante led his orchestra, the choir and the soloists in an impressive account of the Requiem: authoritative, vigorous, emotionally intense, at times utterly gripping.'' writes Charles Ward of the Houston Chronicle.
Plante is a founder of Mercury, a Houston, Texas based orchestra that has experienced remarkable audience growth over its fourteen-year history. In that capacity, Plante has become known for his deftness in balancing a great works repertoire with lesser-known and unknown pieces. His exciting musicality has made him an audience favorite, as evidenced by Mercury’s fast growing audience and the orchestra’s need to move to ever larger halls.
He is also a passionate supporter of classical music education, and has led Mercury’s educational outreach program, a significant effort that includes classroom music education in underserved schools, master classes for school orchestras, and performances for schoolchildren.
Plante is extremely versatile. At ease with the great romantic and modern composers, he also loves to perform classical and baroque music with period instrument orchestras. Experienced in directing orchestral pieces as well as staged works, he has conducted several operas and ballets. He collaborated with noted French director Pascal Rambert to produce a modern staged version of Lully’s Armide, which was performed to critical acclaim in Paris and Houston. He worked with Dominic Walsh Dance Theater to create a score for Dominic Walsh’s ballet Romeo and Juliet. An innovative artist, he just premiered the multi-media production of “The Crimson Prince of Venice: Vivaldi vs. Paganini”, a fully staged production where the orchestra and soloists lead the drama.
Under his leadership, Mercury has grown to be an important arts organization in Houston, offering over 50 concerts per season in many different venues, making music accessible to the whole community.
He has been guest conductor of the San Antonio Symphony, Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, Chanticleer, Houston Grand Opera, Ecuador National Symphony Orchestra and Atlanta Baroque.
Founded in 2000, Mercury has a mission to serve the community by celebrating the power of music, Baroque and beyond, teaching, sharing and performing with passion, intimacy and excellence. The orchestra offers performances of a broad repertoire of music on period instruments and has garnered critical acclaim around the world through innovative and accessible performances, domestic and international tours, and groundbreaking music education programs.
What makes a Mercury performance unique?
Mercury musicians perform on period instruments similar in style and sound to those used by composers of the Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic periods. Differences between modern and period instruments can be seen in the string section where players use gut rather than steel strings and often utilize a Baroque bow that is shorter and more curved than a modern bow. Brass instruments have no valves and are more modest in shape than their modern equivalents, and the timpani drums utilize leather skins rather than synthetic heads. Perhaps the most recognizable differences can be seen in the woodwind section; these instruments have less keys and are actually crafted from wood as opposed to metal or plastic like many modern instruments. Mercury chooses to perform with period instruments to create a distinctive and exciting sound, true to the composer’s intent. Mercury musicians also perform standing to better express the passion and vitality of the music. All of this provides a singular listening experience for our audience.
Mercury is grateful to the following foundations and corporations for their ongoing support: Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment Inc., Kiwi Energy, LINN Energy, The Simmons Foundation, and the Tasajillo Charitable Trust.