Virtuoso vocals, ancient instruments, and music stars – all of this will bring the Belcanto era closer and discover Baroque music from a new perspective.
The period from 1600 to 1750 is considered to be the Baroque era. Nowadays the music of that time is thriving again. The Barocco Nights Festival in the Pharmaceutical Garden of Moscow will present rare and virtuosic compositions of various genres, which sound modern and fresh again today.
Handel on August 24
The program at the Concert Field of the Pharmaceutical Garden will be opened with the music by Georg Friedrich Handel, one of the key composers of the Baroque era. His energetic and stately music reflects the bright and often conflicting natures of the characters. August 24 will see the performance of arias from the operas Cleopatra, Alcina, Xerxes, Rodelinda, and Rinaldo.
Performers:
Alexandra Kubas-Kruk (soprano),
Yuri Minenko (countertenor),
the Questa Musica Ensemble under the conductorship of Philip Chizhevsky.

British Orpheus on August 25
The program consists of compositions by Henry Purcell, who was called the British Orpheus by his contemporaries. His music is distinguished by soulful lyricism, drama and pronounced ostinato.
On August 25, the program will include the most famous arias from Henry Purcell’s operas Dido and Aeneas, King Arthur and others.
Performers:
Dilyara Idrisova (soprano),
the Questa Musica ensemble under the conductorship of Philip Chizhevsky.

Farinelli on August 30
Farinelli, a superstar Italian singer of the 18^th century, was famous for phenomenal singing technique and the widest vocal range ever. At the concert on August 30, arias from Farinelli's repertoire will be performed. This night, countertenor Yuri Minenko and the Pratum Integrum Orchestra of Antique Instruments will take the stage.

La Voce on August 31

Young Russian singer Yulia Lezhneva has been titled the owner of an “angelic voice” by the New York Times. For the first time in Russia, on August 31, she is presenting the La Voce (Voice) program with her countertenor, violinist and conductor Dmitry Sinkovsky. Vocal and instrumental compositions by Antonio Vivaldi and Georg Friedrich Handel will be accompanied by the baroque music ensemble La voce strumentale.

Drama Queens on September 1

Another premiere of the festival is the parade of virtuoso parts of opera heroines performed by three famous mezzo-sopranos - Nian Wong, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya and Yana Dyakova. Accompanied by the Questa Musica Ensemble under the conductorship of Philip Chizhevsky, they will perform the most temperamental parts from the operas by composers of the Baroque era. Their performances are distinguished with dramatic tension, expression and high intensity of emotions. The program includes fragments from operas by Giuseppe Orlandini, Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, Nicola Porpora and other composers.
All the concerts start at 8 pm.
When: August 24, 25, 30 and 31, September 1, 2019.
Where: Pharmaceutical Garden (Aptekarsky Ogorod) at the address 26, Mira Avenue, next to metro station Prospect Mira, Moscow.
See details of the festival program here

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