Madrigals at the Museum Part 1 and 2

Update: Sestina Music have generously agreed to allow extended broadcast of the audio-described versions – available up to 8 January 2021.

Prima le parole, poi la musica (first the words, then the music) – Claudio Monteverdi

Sestina is delighted to partner with the Ulster Museum and Belfast International Arts Festival for ‘Madrigals at the Museum’ – two concerts which showcase the extraordinary Madrigals of Claudio Monteverdi.

Monteverdi’s Nine Books of Madrigals is one of the world’s most significant and diverse collections of vocal music, ranging from intimate 5-part a capella pieces in Books 1-5 to the virtuoso concerti for varied combinations in Book 7. These two concerts, featuring Books 1 and 2 respectively, mark the beginning of an ambitious project to perform all 9 books of the Madrigals over the next number of years.

In Book 1, we hear the youthful musical language of Monteverdi, still greatly influenced by his teacher, Ingegneri, and just beginning to find his own voice and explore the possibilities of the genre. By Book 2, the development in his musical language is significant, with the florid and fluent musical style of a mature Monteverdi very much in evidence throughout.

Recorded in the spectacular setting of the Ulster Museum, these performances will present this glorious music within a wider artistic context, showcasing the stunning spaces and diverse collections of the museum.

This event is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery Funding and sponsor Exitex Ltd.

To find out more about upcoming performances from Sestina sign up to their mailing list here –  http://eepurl.com/cgM29P

Audio-description supported by Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland  

Musical Director: Mark Chambers
Soprano: Charlotte Trepress, Aisling Kenny
Alto: Francesco Giusti
Tenor: Peter Harris
Bass: Eoghan Desmond