Composer

Hailed by BBC Music Magazine as ‘one of the most brilliant ensembles on the early music stage today’, il Pomo d’Oro brings incendiary energy and electrifying verve to the historically informed performance of music from the Baroque and Classical periods. Named for Antonio Cesti’s eponymous opera, the period-instrument and vocal ensemble often works under the direction of its chief conductor, Maxim Emelyanychev, or its leader, Zefira Valova, to bring fresh life to everything from Handel’s operas and oratorios to the symphonies of Mozart.

EPSG:4326

il Pomo d’Oro; il Pomo d’Oro Choir

Wigmore Hall

Hot off the plane from their annual Festival in Tuscany, Sinfonia Smith Square brings a taste of Italy to their home at Smith Square Hall with a whistle-stop tour of some much-loved Italian music. Grab some gelato and be transported to an Italian piazza.

Sinfonia Smith Square’s Guide to Italy

Smith Square Hall

For one afternoon only, the graduating and incoming Young Artists of Opera Australia come together for a compelling performance of music spanning Claudio Monteverdi to Gian Carlo Menotti.

Young Artists in Concert

Sydney Opera House

When death claims his wife on their wedding day, Orpheus must brave the Underworld to rescue her. Can his music move the gods themselves? A classic myth brings together Monteverdi’s powerfully expressive score and a new staging by artist and Olivier Award-winning director William Kentridge.

L'Orfeo

Glyndebourne

When death claims his wife on their wedding day, Orpheus must brave the Underworld to rescue her. Can his music move the gods themselves? A classic myth brings together Monteverdi’s powerfully expressive score and a new staging by artist and Olivier Award-winning director William Kentridge with Jonathan Cohen conducting.

L’Orfeo

Singer, composer and arranger Héloïse Werner deserves to be known as a force of nature, such is her power to transform and reimagine music from the past and bring it into harmonious relationship with the music of today. Her latest programme reaches back to O rosa bella, a gem from the mid-1400s attributed to John Dunstaple, and music by the 15th-century Franco-Flemish composer Josquin des Prez, and forward to the French soprano’s own work for voices and cellos.

Héloïse Werner soprano; Ema Nikolovska mezzo-soprano; Adèle Charvet mezzo-soprano; Karim Sulayman tenor; James Newby baritone; Early Chorus Cello Ensemble

Broken Branches takes its title from Karim Sulayman and Sean Shibe’s eponymous album, a cornucopia of musical and literary treasures drawn from East and West. Their programme touches on the mystical nature of being, something innate that connects different cultures, religions and regions with deep bonds of common kinship, and the universal stories and emotions that bring people together in union.

Karim Sulayman tenor; Sean Shibe guitar

Giulio Caccini, born in 1551, most likely in Rome, channelled heightened emotions into his solo songs. He understood the artistic and commercial value of The New Music, as he titled his 1602 collection of monodies, as did the other composers in La Venexiana’s concert. The Italian vocal ensemble, founded almost 30 years ago, comes to this repertoire with a near-supernatural understanding of its imagery and expressive language.

La Venexiana

Following their acclaimed production of Orfeo in 2022, we welcome back the same creative team to perform the second of Monteverdi’s opera trilogy. John Caird will direct and Laurence Cummings will conduct The English Concert on the stage, with a stellar cast lead by Cecelia Hall and Ed Lyon.

In the last five fruitful years of his life, Monteverdi wrote this opera for the carnival season of 1640, a time for music, dance and masquerading. His musical style, so astonishingly bold and innovative when he wrote Orfeo more than thirty years earlier, has developed yet further, with arias and duets that give full life and humanity to his characters.

Il ritorno d'Ulisse

Wormsley

Counting historical instruments such as the theorbo and the lirone among their ranks, Le Poème Harmonique teases out the atmospheric and strange from even the most familiar of repertoire. This programme, which includes Allegri’s famous Miserere mei Deus, brings together works that were transformed from profane settings to the spiritual when rewritten and reinterpreted by the poets of the day.

Le Poème Harmonique: Allegri's Miserere

Barbican Centre

There is perhaps no better operatic subject matter than Orpheus, whose exceptional singing melts the hearts of the living and the dead. Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo stands at the head of a long list, and not just because of its early date. Together with librettist Alessandro Striggio, Monteverdi created in 1607 the first great opera. Its vivid recitative, toe-tapping arias, lavish accompaniments, and potent dramatic arc breathe life into his era’s revolutionary ideas about musical expression. Ars Lyrica’s new production, a collaboration with the New York Baroque Dance Company, is directed and choreographed by its Artistic Director Catherine Turocy and conducted by ALH Artistic Director Matthew Dirst.

Monteverdi’s Orfeo

Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

Conductor Andrew Megill leads a celebration of our Chorus in breathtaking spaces. From the intricate counterpoint and surprising dissonance of Machaut’s Kyrie and Andrieu’s Armes, amours to the Renaissance splendor of Ockeghem, Josquin, and Byrd, the evolution of choral music unfolds. Tallis’s breathtaking 40-part motet, Spem in alium (Hope in no other), soars alongside Monteverdi’s highly expressive madrigals and Bach’s deeply moving Komm, Jesu, komm and Jesu, meine Freude.

Celestial Voices

Fourth Presbyterian Church Chicago

Sts Faith, Hope, And Charity Catholic Church

Swiss soprano Nicole Wacker, winner of the Eduard Tschumi Prize in 2024, presents vocal music from the early Baroque period in her matinee concert – by Barbara Strozzi and Claudio Monteverdi.

Carte Blanche for Nicole Wacker (Eduard Tschumi Prize winner 2024)

Casino Bern

The Armed Man

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre

Ari Tujian, countertenor

Northwestern Bienen School of Music

Ahead of your visit in the summer, discover more about Il ritorno d’Ulisse in this insight talk combining historical context from Katy Hamilton with musical excerpts performed by singers from our Emerging Artists’ Programme.

Presenter, musician and researcher Katy Hamilton is one of the most sought-after speakers on music and opera and provides programme notes for many leading arts organisations and festivals. Katy will give historical context to the piece and will tell us about Monteverdi and his musical world.

Insight Talk: Il ritorno d'Ulisse

Garsington Studios

The story of the opera begins with an introduction by La Musica, music itself: Claudio Monteverdi opens his version of the ancient love story of Orfeo and Eurydice, the singer whose voice could even melt death, with the prologue. Conductor Leonardo García Alarcón has this epochal work firmly in his repertoire with his Cappella Mediterranea, which specializes in early music, and says: "If life, death, love, and music are the driving forces of humanity, then L'Orfeo is perhaps the opera that best embodies them."

Monteverdi: L'Orfeo / Leonardo García Alarcón

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

Theatre icon Christoph Marthaler presents one of the world’s earliest operas as a ruthless, strikingly relevant tale of power and intrigue.

L’incoronazione di Poppea recounts a bloody chapter of Roman history, teeming with corruption and immorality.

L’incoronazione di Poppea

Royal Danish Opera

5.  Chamber Concert

European Hansemuseum

Federico Fiorio & Karalis Antiqua Ensemble

Teatro La Fenice

OverBridges

CongressCentrum Pforzheim CCP

The most powerful man in the Roman Empire, Emperor Nero, covets the beautiful and power-hungry courtesan Poppea. She demands that he marry her and crown her empress. To do so, however, Nero must first disown his unloved wife Ottavia. The philosopher Seneca tries in vain to temper Nero's desires, but this only draws his wrath. Empress Ottavia, fighting to maintain her position, commissions a courtier to murder her rival Poppea. But the plan backfires. Ottavia is found guilty, and Nero finally has a plausible reason to exile her and enthrone his lover.

The Coronation of Poppea L'incoronazione di Poppea

Theater Lübeck

“I fear nothing: Cupid and Fortuna are fighting for me.”

The ambitious Poppea is having an affair with the Roman Emperor Nero. She now gives her former lover Ottone the cold shoulder. When Nero decides to abandon his wife Ottavia in order to make Poppea empress, a rift develops between him and Seneca, his teacher and advisor. Seneca pays for his criticism of the tyrant's actions with his life. Ottavia then forces the distraught Ottone to attempt to assassinate Poppea. But Cupid intervenes…

The Coronation of Poppea

M*Halle, Schweri

In lovers’ hearts, ice and fire mingle… and when Claudio Monteverdi published his Madrigals of Love and War he opened the floodgates to a new world of European art: magical tales of bold warriors and lovestruck nymphs, told in music that explored uncharted realms of tenderness, fantasy and drama. With Monteverdi, all bets are off.

Songs of Love & War

Milton Court Concert Hall

University Choir

University of Michigan

Academy of Ancient Music performs Monteverdi’s genre-defying Madrigals of Love and War. Unrequited passion has never sounded sweeter.

Danish Chamber Orchestra / Fischer / D'Angelo: Opening Concert

Mozarteum Foundation

Countertenor Iestyn Davies and harpist Oliver Wass come together to perform their journey through the ages with a programme spanning 400 years of music. Oliver Wass is a renowned soloist on the concert stage and was the first ever harpist to win the Guildhall Gold Medal. He joins together with internationally renowned countertenor Iestyn Davies who last appeared on the Garsington stage as Oberon A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2024) which featured in the 2024 BBC Proms to great critical acclaim.

Iestyn Davies & Oliver Wass

The Czech Philharmonic’s Advent begins with low strings and ends with low brass. This ensemble—made up of all members of the orchestra’s trombone and tuba sections —has consistently received warm acclaim. Spanning music from the Renaissance to the 20th-century, the programme honours not only the rich sound of brass but also pays tribute to Břetislav Kotrba, a long-time member of the Czech Philharmonic and a master of musical arrangements.

Advent Concert IV • Czech Philharmonic Low Brass Ensemble

Rudolfinum

A festive concert bringing together the Carlo Felice Children’s Choir and the Brass and Percussion Ensemble of the Paganini Conservatory: a musical journey that ignites the magic of Christmas

Ottoni squillanti e voci incantate

Carlo Felice Theater

The Collegium Musicum performs music from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, with repertoire ranging from solo cantatas to madrigals, oratorios, operas, concertos, and other orchestral works. Recent concerts have included performances of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, Handel’s Concerti Grossi, op. 3, Purcell’s King Arthur and The Fairy Queen, Lully’s Psyché and Thésée, Luigi Rossi’s Orfeo, Cavalli’s Ercole amante and La virtù de’ strali d’Amore, and Monteverdi’s Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi.

Collegium Musicum

Eastman School of Music

Curtis Opera Theatre opens its thrilling 2025–26 series with L’Orfeo, Monteverdi’s groundbreaking masterpiece that reshaped opera. Inspired by the Greek myth, this timeless tale follows Orpheus, a musician whose love for Eurydice drives him to challenge fate itself. Renowned conductor David Stern leads the cast of rising opera stars in acclaimed director and playwright John Matsumoto Giampietro’s production. Premiered in 1607, L’Orfeo merges Renaissance polyphony with Baroque drama, its stunning score brims with passion and beauty, placing raw human emotions at its core. More than 400 years later, this legendary work remains as powerful and moving as ever.

Philadelphia Film Society Center

Superstars Les Arts Florissants are joined by fast-rising violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte in “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at 300” commemorating the work’s original publication in 1725. The program frames these iconic masterpieces afresh, setting them alongside music Vivaldi would have known in Venice and compositions that were in turn inspired by his bold vision.

Les Arts Florissants with Théotime Langlois de Swarte

Wharton Center for Performing Arts

When Emperor Nero falls obsessively in love with the ambitious Poppea, their toxic romance becomes Rome’s ultimate power play. She’s ruthless, he’s unhinged, and together they’re unstoppable. Around them: gossiping servants, doomed philosophers, vengeful wives, scheming exes, and a chorus of opportunists, all pulled into the chaos of Poppea’s ascent.

As Ancient Rome collides with modern decadence, and marble deities oversee a glittering empire of excess and golden opulence, two people’s all-consuming lust can bring down an empire.

L’Incoronazione di Poppea

Jacksons Lane

The Baroque Festival in the DomQuartier is back! The highlight is the concert performance of L'Orfeo in the Carabinieri Hall—the original venue for the first opera performance outside Italy (1614)—and thus the perfect setting for the long-awaited new edition of the Baroque Festival. Between the two parts of the opera, you can expect baroque dance, a banquet, fine dining, historical parlor games, madrigals from the time of Markus Sittikus, as well as selected promenade concerts and musical rarities. The Lautten Compagney Berlin, the Collegium Vocale Salzburg, and the Monteverdichor Hamburg, under the direction of Antonius Adamske, bring Monteverdi's masterpiece to life at this historic venue.

Claudio Monteverdi: L'Orfeo - Favola in musica. Baroque Festival in the Cathedral Quarter. Intermezzo with numerous walking concerts

DomQuartier Salzburg

Lamento

Cortot Room

Hugh Cutting made history in 2021 as the first countertenor to win the Kathleen Ferrier Award and join the roster of BBC New Generation Artists. A rising-star soloist, he was hailed by the Times as “an exceptional voice: lustrous and rounded, with power in reserve and immaculate intonation.”

The English Concert and Hugh Cutting at Wigmore Hall

Artists of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Chorus

Vallombrosa Abbey

Beyond – Music Beyond Time

Saanen Church

The Balkan Route – Escape to Exile III

In a religious context, the Marian Vespers is the name given to the liturgical celebration of the evening hours on Marian feast days; in the Rheingau, it is the occasion for an inspiring listening experience: This year, the Rheingau Music Festival is once again presenting a contribution to the Marian Vespers genre. After several discoveries in previous years, 2025 is the time again for the queen of all Marian Vespers: Monteverdi's "Vespro della Beata Vergine," a masterpiece at the threshold of the Renaissance and the Baroque. With the Vocalensemble Rastatt, Les Favorites, and Holger Speck, we have invited outstanding interpreters to the Rheingau for this work, which is rightly considered one of the milestones in European music history.

Monteverdi: “Mary’s Vespers”

Eberbach Abbey

Poppea Sabina, one of the most bewitching figures of antiquity, aspires to rise to the rank of empress alongside her lover, the emperor Nero, who must repudiate his wife, Octavia, in order to do so. Power, desire, and ambition intertwine in this masterly work by Claudio Monteverdi, his last opera. Conducted by Leonardo García-Alarcón at the helm of Cappella Mediterranea, the concert version reveals the full dramatic power of this timeless opera. This production will tour Cologne, Geneva, Namur, Montreal, Toronto, and New York between May and July 2025.

TSM presents Opening Night: The Coronation of Poppea

The Royal Conservatory of Music

Listening to live music is a wonderful experience. In the »Klangzeit« (Sound Time) concerts, you can close your eyes and escape everyday life for a moment. In the entertaining, hour-long concerts featuring the string players of Ensemble Resonanz, you can listen in a relaxed atmosphere, express yourself, sing along to well-known songs and move freely. Here, everyone can be themselves. This makes the format particularly suitable for people with dementia and their relatives. All venues are accessible.

Klangzeit

Immerse yourself in the ethereal sounds of the Baroque era with "Celestial Voices - Music of the Baroque," a concert series that promises to transport audiences back in time through the power of music. Under the baton of Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer, the Music of the Baroque Chorus and Members of the Orchestra will showcase their incredible talent and versatility. The program features a rich tapestry of compositions from the Renaissance to the Baroque period, including works by Tallis, Palestrina, Purcell, Monteverdi, Byrd, Pachelbel, Rameau, and Bach.

The concert series will highlight the shimmering sounds of Palestrina and Byrd, the intricate compositions of Purcell, and culminate in the high energy of Bach’s "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" (Sing unto the Lord a new song), BWV 225. This selection of music not only showcases the technical prowess of the performers but also the emotional depth and spiritual uplift inherent in Baroque music.

"Celestial Voices" will be performed at two iconic locations, offering audiences a choice of venues to experience the magic of Baroque music. The first performance will take place on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 7:30 PM at the Faith, Hope, & Charity Church in Winnetka. The series will continue with a performance on Monday, May 12, 2025, at 7:30 PM at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. For those unable to attend in person, an on-demand performance will be available on Friday, May 16, 2025, at 5:00 PM.

This concert series is a must-attend for lovers of choral and orchestral music, offering a rare opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of Baroque music performed by a talented ensemble under the guidance of Nicholas Kraemer. Don't miss your chance to be part of this musical journey through time.

Fourth Presbyterian Church

Claudio Monteverdi's last opera, "L'incoronazione di Poppea," captivates with expressive, multifaceted music. A first-class group of singers and the renowned Cappella Mediterranea under Leonardo García Alarcón bring this early Baroque masterpiece to life.

Monteverdi: The Coronation of Poppea

Museum Ludwig

Join us for an exhilarating evening of music celebrating the majestic combination of brass and organ. Featuring core members of the Charleston Symphony and special guests.

Brass & Organ Chamber Concert

Grace Church Cathedral

Wednesday Concert

Frederiksberg Church

Students from the Royal Danish Academy of Music visit Frederiksberg Church with a classical program.

Wednesday concert with students from the Royal Danish Academy of Music

Frederiksberg Kirke

### Event Description: Les Arts Florissants: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at 300

**Date and Time:** Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 7:30 PM  
**Venue:** Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

**Event Overview:**
Join us for a captivating evening as Les Arts Florissants presents "Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at 300," a celebration of the 300th anniversary of Vivaldi’s iconic concertos. This performance will not only showcase the timeless beauty of Vivaldi’s work but also frame it in a contemporary context, exploring themes of nature, the cyclical nature of existence, and the impact of climate change.

**Program:**
- **Claudio Monteverdi:** Adoramus te, SV 289
- **Antonio Vivaldi:** Concerto for strings and basso continuo, RV 129 Madrigalesco
- **Marco Uccellini:** Bergamasca
- **Vivaldi:** Concerto in d minor, RV 813
- **Francesco Geminiani:** Concerto No. 12 in d minor La Folia after Corelli
- **Vivaldi:** Concerto in E Major, Op. 8, No. 1, RV 269 Spring
- **Vivaldi:** Concerto in g minor, Op. 8, No. 2, RV 315 Summer
- **Vivaldi:** Overture to La fida ninfa The Faithful Nymph, RV 714
- **Vivaldi:** Concerto in F Major, Op. 8, No. 3, RV 293 Autumn
- **Vivaldi:** Grave from Violin Concerto in B-flat Major, RV 370
- **Vivaldi:** Concerto in f minor, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 Winter

**Featured Artist:**
- **Théotime Langlois de Swarte, Violin:** A rising star in the world of classical music, Théotime Langlois de Swarte is known for his mesmerizing performances on both baroque and modern instruments. A regular member of Les Arts Florissants since 2014, de Swarte has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician. He plays on a Jacob Stainer violin of 1665 and an Allessandro Gagliano from 1700.

**Ticket Information:**
- **Season Ticket Packages:** Available now
- **Individual Event Tickets:** On sale starting August 1
- **Discounts:** Student, Senior, and Group discounts may be available

**Sponsors:**
- **Permanently Endowed Support:** Darragh H. and Robert O. Weisman Memorial Endowment Fund
- **Title Sponsor:** Dick Caldarazzo and Eileen Weiser
- **Principal Sponsor:** Emily Bandera
- **Supporting Sponsor:** Claire L. Turcotte

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the UMS University Musical Society website or call the box office at 734-764-2538. Don’t miss this extraordinary celebration of Vivaldi’s enduring masterpiece!

Les Arts Florissants Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at 300

Tango Fenesta

Comedia Theater

Baroque superstars Les Arts Florissants are joined by fast-rising violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte in Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” at 300, commemorating the work’s original publication in 1725. The program frames these iconic masterpieces afresh, setting them alongside music Vivaldi would have known in Venice and compositions which were in turn inspired by his bold vision.

Les Arts Florissants with Théotime Langlois de Swarte, violin

When it was published in 1725, no one imagined that Vivaldi’s Opus 8, Nos. 1-4, The Four Seasons, would become some of the most frequently heard music of all time. Yet 300 years later, they are among the best-known classical compositions ever.

The Baroque music supergroup Les Arts Florissants, a best-in-class ensemble of period musicians, are joined by the extraordinary violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte for a program that presents this iconic music in a new light and commemorates its original publication.

Les Arts Florissants & Théotime Langlois

The University of Texas at Austin

The Concertgebouw Orchestra and Släpstick are teaming up to give a brand-new children’s concert: Commander_n00b is a concert and game all in one.

Children’s concert

The Concertgebouw

For their Mondavi Center debut, Baroque superstars Les Arts Florissants are joined by fast-rising violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte in “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at 300” commemorating the work’s original publication in 1725.

Les Arts Florissants

Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Les Arts Florissants, featuring the spirited young violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte, presents "Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons at 300." This concert celebrates the 300th anniversary of Antonio Vivaldi's iconic work, performed at Zellerbach Hall on March 19, 2025, at 7:30 pm.

Théotime Langlois de Swarte, known for his transfixing performances and exceptional violin skills, will lead us through a journey back to the Baroque era, channeling the virtuosity of Antonio Vivaldi himself. The program will not only highlight "The Four Seasons" but also showcase masterpieces by Vivaldi’s contemporaries and predecessors, including Monteverdi, Uccellini, and Geminiani, offering a rich tapestry of early music.

The evening's program includes:
- MONTEVERDI: Adoramus te, Christe, SV 289 transcription
- VIVALDI: Concerto for Strings in D minor, Madrigalesco, RV 129
- UCCELLINI: Aria sopra la Bergamasca, Op. 3
- VIVALDI: Concerto in D minor, RV 813
- GEMINIANI: Concerto Grosso No. 12 in D minor, "Follia" after Corelli
- VIVALDI: Overture to La fida ninfa, RV 714

Tickets for this mesmerizing performance start at $76, with season subscriptions available now and single tickets going on sale at noon on August 6. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the brilliance of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" and more, brought to life by Théotime Langlois de Swarte and Les Arts Florissants in a celebration of early music's enduring beauty and complexity.

University of California, Berkeley

After the completely rapturous ovation to Theotime Langlois de Swarte’s Center debut, we knew we had to bring the violin sensation back as quickly as possible. So we are thrilled to announce that not only is he returning – but that he is returning and bringing with him Les Arts Florissants!

Theotime Langlois De Swarte & Les Arts Florissants

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Explore the life and influences of 17th-century Italian musician Antonia Bembo, whose incredible journey takes us from Venice to the court of Louis XIV in Paris. With text and narration by Symphony violinist and author Isabelle Fournier, and a spectacular performance by virtuoso lutenist Lucas Harris, we examine the rivalry and the union between French and Italian baroque music, art, and culture.

Corelli, Lully, & Bembo

St. Andrew's United Church

Chamber 3 – Train Depot

Boise Train Depot

Marking their 40th anniversary, the legendary Italian ensemble brings the composer’s extraordinary word-setting and no-holds-barred music and poetry to life.

Concerto Italiano: Monteverdi's Madrigals

Southbank Centre

Virginia Woolf’s Orlando is a timeless character. Eternally young, he changes lives and genders but remains fascinated by art. While the novel tells the history of English literature, the theatrical adaptation—incorporating symphonic music and directed by the great Lorraine Pintal—delves into the evolution of music.

Eternal Orlando

Église Notre-Dame de la Recluse

Mercier Public Library

Place des Arts

Église Sainte-Claire

St. Joachim of Pointe-Claire Church

Charting the progress from twilight to sunrise, this programme concentrates on Renaissance composers but includes a recent work by Nico Muhly specially written to form part of the nocturnal trajectory.

Stile Antico

Continuing Education Fall Recital

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Claudio Monteverdi’s Madrigals of Love and War transformed a venerable genre—the Renaissance part song—into dramatic scenes that rival the flamboyant art of Caravaggio or Bernini. By updating an old musical form, Monteverdi created a repertoire that is both timeless and singular: few madrigals from any age hold a candle to these masterworks for multiple voices and instruments.

Madrigals of Love & War

### Event Description: The Comet / Poppea - Curtis Institute of Music

**Event:** The Comet / Poppea  
**Presented by:** Curtis Opera Theatre  
**Date:** November 1, 2024  
**Time:** 7:00 p.m.  
**Location:** 23rd Street Armory

**Overview:**
Curtis Opera Theatre proudly presents the East Coast premiere of "The Comet / Poppea," an innovative operatic production that intertwines two distinct yet thematically connected works. This unique performance juxtaposes George Lewis's "The Comet," based on W.E.B. Du Bois’s proto-Afrofuturist science fiction short story, with Claudio Monteverdi’s "L’incoronazione di Poppea," a hot-blooded political thriller from 1643.

**Concept and Direction:**
The production is directed and conceived by MacArthur Award-winner Yuval Sharon. The stage is designed as a turntable divided into two halves, allowing the two worlds to unfold simultaneously. The rotation of the stage creates a visual and sonic spiral, inviting audiences to experience associations, dissociations, collisions, and confluences.

**Musical Direction:**
The performance features a stellar cast of Curtis singers, led by conductor Marc Lowenstein, known for his genre-crossing conducting career.

**Program:**
- **The Comet**  
  - **Music:** George Lewis  
  - **Libretto:** Douglas Kearney  
  - **Language:** English (with English supertitles)  
  - **Adapted from:** W.E.B. Du Bois’s short story "The Comet"

- **L’incoronazione di Poppea**  
  - **Music:** Claudio Monteverdi  
  - **Libretto:** Francesco Busenello  
  - **Language:** Italian (with English supertitles)

**Additional Performances:**
- **Saturday, November 2, 2024:** 7:00 p.m.
- **Sunday, November 3, 2024:** 2:00 p.m.

**Subscription Information:**
Subscribe to the 2024-25 season to secure the best seats at the best prices.

**Special Thanks:**
This production is realized through a landmark partnership among organizations across the United States, produced by Anthony Roth Costanzo and Cath Brittan, The Industry, AMOC (American Modern Opera Company), and Curtis Institute of Music. Curtis’ Centennial Season is supported by various benefactors, including Derek and Sissela Bok, the Mary Louise Curtis Bok Foundation, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

**Tickets:**
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Curtis Institute of Music website.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of operatic innovation and cultural transformation!

The Comet / Poppea

23rd Street Armory

Examining the close cultural and musical ties between East and West, this collaboration between Grammy Award-winning tenor Karim Sulayman and guitarist Sean Shibe offers music ranging from Dowland and Takemitsu to traditional songs from the Middle East. This musical journey reflects the artists’ personal experiences of dynamic, cross-over identities, as they were raised in the West but had ethnic roots in the East (Lebanon and Japan, respectively). Broken Branches explores the wood of the guitar and its relatives, as well as the splintering of history known as diaspora.

Karim Sulayman, tenor Sean Shibe, guitar

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Artistic Director Patrick Dupre Quigley gives you a crash course on the history of Western music in one lively evening with chorus, period keyboard instruments, and viola de gamba. You’ll hear the contrasts and connections between eras: the stark simplicity of Medieval chant, the rich polyphony of the Renaissance, the ornate structure of the Baroque, the elegant balance of the Classical, the passionate intensity of the Romantic, and the creative ingenuity of the Contemporary. Don’t miss this chance to experience the evolution of Western music in a new and exciting way.

Seraphic Fire Presents A Brief History Of Western Music

Kravis Center for the Performing Arts

Join us for an unforgettable evening of early music with Jordi Savall, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and Hespèrion XXI as they present "The Tears and the Fire of the Muses" on October 12, 2024, at 8pm in Zellerbach Hall. This performance, part of the 2024-25 season, promises to be a profound exploration of the works of Claudio Monteverdi and his influence across England, Germany, and Italy, alongside pieces by John Dowland, Anthony Holborne, Samuel Scheidt, and Giacomo de Gorzanis.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hespèrion XXI, Jordi Savall, a revered figure in the world of early music for his boundless curiosity and exceptional musicality, will lead this ensemble alongside the magnificent vocalists of La Capella Reial de Catalunya. The program will feature a rich selection of sacred and secular works, including Monteverdi's "Lamento d’Arianna" and "Sestina Lagrima d’Amante al Sepolcro dell’Amata," Dowland's "Lacrimæ tristes Pavan," and many more, promising an evening of emotional depth and historical resonance.

Tickets start at $48, with season subscriptions available now and single tickets going on sale on August 6 at noon. This performance is supported by The Bernard Osher Foundation, ensuring an evening of unparalleled musical exploration and historical insight. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the legacy of Monteverdi and the early music tradition through the talents of Jordi Savall and his ensembles.

Jordi Savall, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and Hespèrion XXI

The unconducted collective which The Observer has described as ‘one of the UK’s most innovative and imaginative ensembles’ has risen to a position of international prominence with its vital, uniquely original performances. Its repertoire consists of well-known works by familiar composers plus the group’s own discoveries amongst the vast repository of neglected music from the period.

Solomon's Knot

This program will explore the structure of operatic arias as antecedent to the Italian instrumental forms.  Works for voice and harp by Claudio Monteverdi and sonatas by Dario Castello for violin and harp will explore opposites.  We most deeply appreciate the standard sonata form’s storytelling structure by comparison to its structural opposite, the wildly unstructured stylus fantasticus.

Garth Newel Music Center

Betsy Burleigh, Thomas R Kasdorf Professor of Choral Conducting and chair of the Choral Conducting Department at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music since the fall of 2013, served as music director of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh from 2006 to 2015. She led the Mendelssohn Choir in performances of Brahms’ Requiem, Bach’s B-Minor Mass, Rachmaninoff’s Vespers, and Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor and prepared the choir for numerous performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO). As a guest conductor, Burleigh has led the PSO, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Akron Symphony, and Canton Symphony. Theater engagements have included music direction at Opera Cleveland and the Cleveland Public Theater. In March 2016, she prepared the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for a performance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and music director Andris Nelsons. Acclaimed for her oratorio conducting, Burleigh’s 2012 Chorus pro Musica performance of Haydn’s Creation was praised in The Boston Globe as an “expansive, poetic reading” and in The Boston Phoenix as “a stirring and elegant, lilting and expansive performance.” Her 2010 rendition of Orff’s Carmina Burana was praised as being both “nuanced” and “hair-raising” by The Boston Musical Intelligencer. She won the 2000 Northern Ohio Live Achievement Award for best classical/opera performance for Ulmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis with the Cleveland Public Theatre and conducted the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus on an Emmy Award–winning concert for the 9/11 Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Summer Music 2024 | Summer Chorus – Betsy Burleigh, conductor

Auer Hall

The Irish Youth Choir, under Artistic Director Bernie Sherlock, is made up of Ireland's finest young singers between the ages of 18-28. It has been an important part of Irish musical life since 1982. Singers are recruited by audition, and meet during the summer course and workshop weekends throughout the year. It offers an electic advanced repertoire, inspiring and empowering young Irish singers with careful vocal and stylistic preparation in a good atmosphere, while instilling a life-long love of music. Alumni of the Irish Youth Choir have proceeded to become some of Ireland’s best conductors, choir founders, singers, teachers, and musicians.

Irish Youth Choir with Sing Ireland

Royal Irish Academy of Music

Enjoy a lunchtime programme exploring repertoire for solo voice, obbligato cornett and basso continuo from the dawn of the Baroque era.

The Gonzaga Band

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

### Event Description: The Comet / Poppea

**Event Title:** The Comet / Poppea

**Dates:** June 14 - June 23, 2024

**Venue:** WAREHOUSE at The Geffen Contemporary, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles  
**Address:** 152 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States

**Overview:**
The Comet / Poppea is a groundbreaking opera that intertwines two distinct narratives to explore themes of cultural transformation and double consciousness. This innovative production juxtaposes Claudio Monteverdi’s 1643 Italian opera *L’incoronazione di Poppea* with the world premiere of *The Comet*, based on W.E.B. Du Bois's 1924 science-fiction short story. 

**Concept and Direction:**
- **Composer:** George Lewis
- **Libretto:** Douglas Kearney
- **Director:** Yuval Sharon

**Featured Artists:**
- Anthony Roth Costanzo
- Davóne Tines
- Doug Balliet
- Miranda Cuckson
- Emi Ferguson
- Keir GoGwilt
- Coleman Itzkoff

**Production and Partnerships:**
Developed over six years, The Comet / Poppea is a collaborative effort produced by Anthony Roth Costanzo and Cath Brittan, in partnership with The Industry, AMOC (American Modern Opera Company), and the Curtis Institute of Music. The Comet, composed by George Lewis with a libretto by Douglas Kearney, is commissioned by AMOC.

**Performance Details:**
The opera is presented on a turntable stage divided into two halves, allowing the worlds of ancient Rome and 1920s New York City to unfold simultaneously. This unique staging creates a visual and sonic spiral, inviting audiences to experience the interplay of these two narratives. As the performance progresses, elements from each story begin to intersect, highlighting the dialogue between the works and their contemporary relevance.

**Public Talks:**
In addition to the performances, a series of public talks featuring members of the cast and creative team will be held during the show's run. More details will be announced.

**Tickets and Additional Information:**
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the [event website](https://www.moca.org/program/the-comet-poppea).

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Join us for this extraordinary event that challenges and redefines the boundaries of classical music and opera.

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA

The Comet / Poppea brings together seemingly disparate worlds connected by stories of cultural transformation. The work juxtaposes Claudio Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea), an Italian opera from 1643 unfolding among the social divisions of ancient Rome; and the world premiere of The Comet, based on the 1924 science-fiction short story by sociologist and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois. Set in 1920s New York City, “The Comet” depicts a Black man and white woman as the only survivors after a comet hits Earth.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Love conquers all in ancient Rome. The baddies win, the goodies are banished or killed. Social advancement and power politics govern Monteverdi’s soap opera: the first great work of baroque musical theatre. A stellar international cast includes the return of Italian star Anna Bonitatibus (Il ritorno d’Ulisse and Agrippina) as the rejected empress Ottavia. Another Grange Festival favourite, Kitty Whately is Poppea, paired with 'lyric tenor going places' and finalist in our 2018 International Singing Competition, Sam Furness as Nerone. And we welcome acclaimed American counter-tenor Christopher Lowrey as Ottone, New Zealand Bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu as Seneca and the popular German soprano Vanessa Waldhart as Drusilla. The groundbreaking instrumental ensemble La Nuova Musica is led by David Bates. Our new production, in partnership with Oper Halle, will be created by director Walter Sutcliffe and designer Jon Bausor, the team whose brilliant Agrippina at The Grange Festival in 2018 caused such a stir.

L'incoronazione di Poppea

The Grange at Northington

Today’s recital, Monteverdi and His Venetian Legacy, is a journey through the rich musical heritage of Venetian composers from the late Renaissance to the Baroque, featuring works by Monteverdi, Cavalli and Vivaldi.

The Bellot Ensemble

Corn Exchange

On May 2, at 7pm, in Trinity Church, The Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra present Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, a monumental masterpiece dedicated to Mary and considered one of the greatest works of sacred music ever written. Free.

Composer

Claudio Monteverdi

Events

Upcoming events

Sep 20, 2026

Vox Luminis; Lionel Meunier artistic director, bass · Wigmore Hall

24 - 27 Sep, 2026

L’Orfeo · Haymarket Opera Company

Sep 29, 2026

Czech Ensemble Baroque & Michna · Prague Symphony Orchestra

Oct 25, 2026

A Renaissance Roadtrip · Sinfonia Smith Square

Oct 25 - Nov 3, 2026

L'Orfeo · Wiener Staatsoper

Past events

Sep 13, 2026

il Pomo d’Oro; il Pomo d’Oro Choir · Wigmore Hall

Aug 9, 2026

Sinfonia Smith Square’s Guide to Italy · Sinfonia Smith Square

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