Vespers

Join us for a voyage through Vivaldi’s cosmopolitan Venice, where Iestyn Davies and the acclaimed Idrîsî Ensemble weave Baroque brilliance with ancient Mediterranean choral traditions.

Vivaldi’s Venice was a thriving cosmopolitan centre. A meeting point of the European Renaissance with the cultures of North Africa and all corners of the Mediterranean, “La Serenissima” was alive with a kaleidoscope of tastes, sights and sounds – and its musical culture was no exception.

Superlative countertenor Iestyn Davies leads an unmissable exploration of this rich world. Written for performance at dusk, Vivaldi’s deeply atmospheric solo cantata Nisi Dominus evokes an extraordinary array of musical colours. It forms a rich thread through the evening, and its centrepiece “Cum dederit” is a moment of transcendent beauty unmatched in Baroque music.

Bringing the particular flavour of the Eastern Mediterranean, Idrîsî Ensemble intersperse the programme with sublime choral music. Based on deep research into music rarely heard before, from fifth-century Roman chants to UNESCO-protected Corsican polyphonies, Idrîsî’s rhapsodic performances have garnered significant acclaim.

This semi-staged performance will be a feast for all of the senses.

Programme to include:

Antonio Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus: Cantata for Vespers RV608
Interspersed with Roman chant and music from the Eastern Mediterranean

Countertenor Iestyn Davies
Conductor Frederick Waxman
Conductor Thomas Fournil