Bellini & Vivaldi
Bellini & Vivaldi is a concert that takes place in Catania, the Sicilian home city of one of Italian opera's greatest maestros, Vincenzo Bellini. Featuring the music of Antonio Vivaldi as well as Vincenzo Bellini, the recital is performed by the highly respected Catania Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble that specialises in the revival of the Italian classical and lyrical traditions. The venue is the Church of Badia di Sant'Agata – or the Abbey of St Agatha, as it is known in English - next to the Cathedral where the remains of Catania's most famous musical son now lie.
The programme opens with several of Bellini's most-loved works drawn from a hugely successful career in opera. The first piece is the Sinfonia from Norma, one of Bellini's biggest operatic hits which was first performed on 26 December 1831 at La Scala in Milan. Serving as an overture, the Sinfonia is full of dramatic energy before a more contemplative mood is generated for the ensuing tragedy. The concert continues with renditions of Oh! quante volte, oh quante!, taken from The Capulets and the Montagues which premiered on 11 March 1830 at Teatro La Fenice in Venice.
Other arias in the opening part of the programme devoted to Bellini's music include Oh se una volta sola… ah! non credea mirarti and Ah! non giunge uman pensiero, both taken from La Sonnambula. First staged on 6 March 1831 at Teatro Carcano in Milan, these arias offer lyrical depth as well as emotional melodies. Audience-goers will also hear a rendition of Nel furor delle tempeste, taken from Bellini's 1827 opera Il Pirata, with the first half of the concert concluded with that opera's stirring sinfonia.
The second part of the concert is devoted to Vivaldi's stunning baroque set of violin concerti, The Four Seasons, creating an unforgettable journey into great chamber music to complement the Italian opera that preceded it. Composed from about 1718, The Four Seasons were published in 1725 along with a number of other works by the maestro. In an unusual step for the period, Vivaldi decided to publish each of the four works with accompanying sonnets, poems that many scholars think the composer penned himself.
With a superb venue that is distinguished by a panoramic terrace and well-preserved interiors, plus music by two giants of Italian music, the Bellini & Vivaldi concert at the Church of Badia di Sant'Agata offers exceptional entertainment from start to finish.