The concert, with the evocative title La porta del Paradiso, offers a fascinating series of pieces inspired by the Baroque chamber and operatic repertoire of the eighteenth century that ranges from opera arias to the sacred and chamber genre, outlining a vast range of emotions that transport listeners into a world full of suggestions. This is based on a patient recovery of the Baroque stylistic language, without additions or transformations of any kind, in such a way as to convey to the modern audience the composition as intended by the Author.
The harpsichord, an emblematic symbol of the 17th and 18th centuries, plays a fundamental role in the concert: it accompanies the voice by providing the basso continuo, reduces the orchestral writing and also expresses itself as a solo instrument.
The program also includes a fascinating seventeenth-century Latin motet by Monteverdi, Jubilet tota civitas, a piece for solo voice «in dialogue», taken from Selva morale e spirituale, a collection that represents the culmination of the compositional activity of the «divine Claudio». It is a characteristic example of music intended for the feasts of the saints whose indications, “canta” and “tacet”, could raise some doubts about the performance. The piece, proposed for solo voice, best highlights Monteverdi’s aim to create a close correspondence between word and sound, indivisible elements of the music of the Cremonese, constantly aimed at the expression of affections.
- Dario Castello (Venice, 1602-ivi, 1631) Sonata XV for strings (from Sonatas concertate in modern style )
- Claudio Monteverdi (Cremona, 1567-Venice, 1643) Jubilet tota civitas (from Moral and spiritual forest )
- Giovanni Lorenzo Gregori (Lucca, 1663-ivi, 1645) Concerto Grosso in D, op. 2, n. 2
- Alessandro Stradella (Bologna, 1643-Genoa, 1682) And the Son Has Been Departed ( from Lamentation for Holy Wednesday)
- Nicolò Porpora (Naples, 1686-ibid., 1748) In storm without a star, Motet
- Antonio Vivaldi (Venice, 1678-Vienna, 1741) Trio in G minor, for lute, violin and basso continuo (RV 85)
- Nicolò Jommelli (Aversa, 1714-Naples, 1774) Prisoner returning (from La Betulia liberata )
- A. Vivaldi Concerto in G minor for strings (RV 156)
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
- Pasquale Cafaro (Bellona, 1715-Naples, 1787) Terrible in appearance (from La Betulia liberata )
Byzantine Academy
- Delphine Galou, contralto
- Ottavio Dantone, harpsichord and direction
- Alessandro Tampieri, violin I
- Ana Liz Ojeda, violin II
- Marco Massera, viola
- Alessandro Palmeri, cello
- Nicola Dal Maso, violoncello
- Tiziano Bagnati, lute