During a brief respite from his busy Roman sojourn, Handel left for Naples from May to July 1708, where he had been commissioned to write the serenata Aci, Galatea e Polifemo for the wedding of the Duke of Alvito and Beatrice di Sanseverino. This short opera, for three voices and orchestra without chorus, is remarkable for the variety of its instrumental accompaniment with, in addition to strings and continuo, oboe, recorders, and trumpets. The singers in their arias and recitatives also carry us from the most languorous sighs to the extremes of virtuosity.
Leading Arion for the first time is the award-winning Italian conductor and harpsichordist Francesco Corti, principal guest conductor of il Pomo d’Oro orchestra.
Friday, January 12th 2024, 7:30pm
Saturday, January 13th 2024, 4pm
Sunday, January 14th 2024, 2:30pm
Bourgie Hall – Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
1339, Sherbrooke West
Montréal (Québec) H3G 1G2
Tickets
Concert program
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Aci, Galatea e Polifemo, HWV 72
Francesco Corti – Born in a family of musicians, Italian harpsichordist and conductor Francesco Corti studied organ in Perugia, then harpsichord in Geneva and Amsterdam.
