The English Concert . Harry Bicket

At the age of sixteen, the castrato Farinelli made a sensational debut in the opera 'Gli Esperidi' by the Italian composer Nicola Antonio Porpora. Through these operas Farinelli developed into the megastar of his time, and his notoriety still lives on. Porpora, however, died in poverty and sank into oblivion. Luckily, Vivaldi was spared such a fate. To this day, unknown pieces by him are still regularly being discovered. His 'Nisi Dominus' for example was only discovered in 2003. Through the centuries Pergolesi's 'Stabat Mater' has always been warmly appreciated by composers and audiences alike. Bach used it as a basis for one of his motets. Just as one might expect from opera composers, their religious scores also guarantee vocal fireworks. You can be sure that the sparks will fly from the two true Italian opera singers: soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci and the contralto Sara Mingardo. They form the warm-blooded centrepiece of this concert. Placed in the hands of one of the top ensembles: The English Concert conducted by the baroque specialist Harry Bicket. Delectable.