Manchester Baroque opens its season with a varied programme led from the violin, featuring some of the most popular Baroque composers. Concertos by Vivaldi, Handel and Bach are mixed with vocal items, with countertenor Francis Bamford.

Longstanding principal viola player, Alex Mitchell, brings the instrument into a deserved spotlight in Telemann’s charming viola concerto, with its leader Pauline Nobes taking centre stage in a radiant violin concerto from Vivaldi’s Op. 3, as well as in Bach’s concerto for violin and oboe with oboist Joel Raymond.

Programme:
Antonio Vivaldi Concerto No. 9 in D major, RV 230, from L’Estro Armonico, Op. 3
Sol da te mio dolce amore, from Orlando furioso, RV 728
George Frideric Handel Ombra mai fu, from Xerxes, HWV 40
JS Bach Concerto for violin and oboe in C minor, BWV 1060
Georg Philipp Telemann Concerto for viola in G major, TWV 51:G9
George Frideric Handel Sinfonia and Aria Presti omai l’Egizia terra, from Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17
Henry Purcell Music for a While
George Frideric Handel Concerto Grosso, Op. 6 No. 6 in G minor, HWV 324

Performers:
Francis Bamford countertenor
Martyn Shaw flute
Joel Raymond oboe
Pauline Nobes violin, leader
Alex Mitchell viola
Manchester Baroque