Il Giardino Armonico . Giovanni Antonini

The Italian baroque orchestra Il Giardino Armonico is not only the favourite of world stars such as Cecilia Bartoli and Daniele De Niese, but is perhaps the best baroque orchestra of its kind. When the conductor Giovanni Antonini founded his ensemble in 1985, Il Giardino Armonico was the first Italian orchestra to play exclusively on period instruments. Up until then, Italian musical culture had not entirely embraced the historical instrument movement, but Antonini finally managed to win over his compatriots. Six Italian concerti grossi on one evening; it seems too good to be true. But with each concerto, Il Giardino Armonico will introduce you to a new world. The highly alert musicians bring every single note to life. In all aspects: dynamics, tempi and articulations: they know, quite delectably, how to create variation. Witness their most recent CD of Handel's concerti grossi, universally greeted with superlatives. To spice up the evening, you will hear in-between times hear virtuoso concertos by Geminiani and Vivaldi. Real Italian fireworks!