The beauty of the Italian language is well known. It is ‘the singers’ language’ and sometimes considered to be ‘The Language of Love’. Italy was also the birthplace of the Renaissance and even though Renaissance music was truly international, many leading composers from across the continent lived and worked in Italy, and spoke Italian. Our title comes from a letter written by Claudio Monterverdi defending his new approach to writing music and translates as ‘The words come first’. This concert will revel in the Italian language itself, with the music being either sung in Italian or inspired by Italy and Italian-ness! Interspersed with beautiful, lyrical music from Renaissance Italy will be readings in Italian (and English) about music, beauty, and la bella vita!

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Concert programme

Benvenuto
Philippe Verdelot - Italia mia

Monteverdi: Maestro delle parole
Claudio Monteverdi - Messa a quattro voci da capella (1650)
      Kyrie
      Gloria

Gli inizi del madrigale
Jacques Arcadelt- Ahimè, ahimè dov'è'l bel viso
Cipriano de Rore - O sonno
Nicola Vicentino - L'aura che'l verde lauro et l'aureo crine

Claudio Monteverdi - Messa a quattro voci da capella (1650)
      Credo

— INTERVAL —

Madrigali spirituali
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina - Vergine chiara
Orlando di Lasso - from Lagrime di San Pietro
Veduto il miser

Claudio Monteverdi - Messa a quattro voci da capella (1650)
      Sanctus & Benedictus

Madrigalisti superiori
Carlo Gesualdo - Asciugate i begli occhi
Claudio Monteverdi - Anima mia, perdona

Claudio Monteverdi - Messa a quattro voci da capella (1650)
      Agnus Dei