Academy of Ancient Music . Richard Egarr

The Academy of Ancient Music has, in the course of its existence, grown into a valued asset in English musical life. It has become intertwined with the English musical heritage. The musicians are better equipped than anyone to capture the essence of Purcell in a single concert: from the intimacy of his songs - with the soprano Carolyn Sampson as the ideal interpreter - to the more public gestures of the semi-operas - to the intense tragedy of 'Dido and Aeneas'. And as if that were not enough, Purcell's inimitable art is also combined with excerpts from Handel's Italian operas and English oratorio. In short, this concert takes us on a journey that spans half a century of British musical history. A must for every English baroque fan and for the many admirers of Carolyn Sampson. The broad selection of Purcell and Handel presents Carolyn Sampson with a dream opportunity to display the many sides of her talent.