Composer

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

Wormsley

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.

EPSG:4326

Advent Concert IV • Czech Philharmonic Low Brass Ensemble

Rudolfinum

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.

L'Orfeo

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

Wigmore Hall

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

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

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.

Celestial Voices

Fourth Presbyterian Church

Sts Faith, Hope, And Charity Catholic 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

### 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

University of Michigan

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

Wednesday Concert

Frederiksberg Church

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

Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

### 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

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

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

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.

Monteverdi's Vespers

Trinity Church

Pre-College Opera Scenes

The Juilliard School

Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński has surged to the heights of the international classical music scene with ease, his vibrancy paving his path and setting him apart from the rest. Founded in 2012 by Giulio D’Alessio and Gesine Lübben, Il Pomo d’Oro swiftly established itself as an ensemble of outstanding quality. These powerful forces come together in stunning synchronicity in this Bing Concert Hall performance.

Jakub Józef Orliński with Il Pomo d’Oro

Stanford University

See where opera all began! Monteverdi’s setting of the mythical tale of Orpheus and his great love Eurydice is the first masterpiece of theater set to music. In this production, Orfeo's quest to rescue Eurydice from the Underworld is imagined as a psychological journey in which Orfeo questions the ideals of fidelity and marital bliss in the fight for his bride as his own doubts and fears tear him further away from her. It is a story of passion and courage, and the complexity of the human spirit.

This production is a collaboration of Oberlin Opera Theater and Oberlin Conservatory's Historical Performance program.

Oberlin Opera Theater presents Monteverdi's "L'Orfeo"

Oberlin College

Join us for an enchanting evening with the University Singers at the Northwestern Bienen School of Music for their performance titled "Heartoutbursts." This concert promises a captivating exploration of love's complex emotions through a diverse repertoire spanning various styles and musical eras. Under the skilled direction of conductors A.J. Keller and Zachary Shand, with Charles Foster on piano, the ensemble will delve into the themes of longing, remorse, and the profound joy that love brings.

**Event Details:**
- **Date:** Sunday, March 3, 2024
- **Time:** 5:00pm CST
- **Location:** Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, United States. Nestled within the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts, the Galvin Recital Hall offers an intimate setting with stunning views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline, enhanced by its exceptional acoustics.

**Program Highlights:**
- Frank Ticheli's "Earth Song"
- Josquin des Prez's "Gaude Virgo, mater Christi"
- Heinrich Schütz's "Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, SWV 380"
- Johannes Brahms's "Im Herbst, Op. 104, No. 5"
- Claudio Monteverdi's "Cor mio, mentre vi miro"
- Eric Whitacre's "i carry your heart"
- And more, including works by Urmas Sisask, Undine Smith Moore, and arrangements of songs by Billy Joel and Nicky Mehta.

**Tickets:**
- General Public: $6
- Students (with valid ID): $4

Please note that tickets have sold out, indicating the high anticipation and excitement for this performance. However, those unable to secure a ticket can still enjoy the concert through the live stream option, ensuring no one misses out on this musical celebration of love.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the University Singers' "Heartoutbursts," a performance that promises to be as moving as it is memorable.

University Singers

Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall

An operatic extravaganza. Stéphane leads us on a journey through 300 years of heart-stopping melodies, captivating drama, and thrilling dances. The fanfare from Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, one of the very first operas, sets us on a path through Mozart, Rossini, Puccini, Bellini, and Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours,” now best known as the hippopotamus ballet from Fantasia. The SLSO’s Associate Concertmaster Erin Schreiber gives a virtuoso turn in Sarasate’s Fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen. Associate Principal Cello Melissa Brooks performs Bellini’s mellifluous melodies  

Operatic Favorites

Touhill Performing Arts Center

Pomona College’s Music Department is pleased to invite you to a special performance by the Italian Baroque ensemble Opera Prima, featuring soprano Amanda Forsythe, in Tormento Seicento: an exploration of the 17th-century Passions of the Soul, in virtuosic arias and fiery instrumental works by Monteverdi, Rossi, Merula, and Caccini.

Opera Prima with soprano Amanda Forsythe

Pomona College

Deserted by her lover, the beautiful Ariadne pours out her longing and loss. The virgin Mary sings to both heaven and earth in a moment of pure ecstasy. And Robert Schumann, smitten with his young wife Clara, weaves messages of pure love into a symphony inspired by Beethoven. Some say it’s his very greatest.

Heaven, Earth and the human heart

Barbican Centre

Experience the grandeur of Claudio Monteverdi's final masterpiece, "The Coronation of Poppea," brought to life by the Opéra de Montréal in collaboration with L'Orchestre de l'Agora. This captivating performance is set to enchant audiences on November 18, 2023, at 7:30 PM, and November 19, 2023, at 2 PM, at the Salle Pierre-Mercure, Centre Pierre-Péladeau. Sung in Italian with English and French subtitles, this opera spans approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission.

"The Coronation of Poppea" stands as a gem in the realm of Italian opera, renowned for its innovative and powerful blend of music and dramatic action. Despite the loss of the original version, this production is based on a surviving copy with significant libretto variations, offering a unique interpretation of Monteverdi's work. The opera delves into the ambitious and ruthless nature of Emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea, whose relentless pursuit of power leads to a dramatic ascension to the throne, challenging the audience to confront their own contradictions.

This production features a talented cast led by Musical Director Nicolas Ellis and Stage Director Aria Umezawa, known for her quirky and irreverent approach to opera. The cast includes Emma Fekete as Poppea/Fortuna, Rachèle Tremblay as Ottavia/Famigliari II/Amore secondo, and Ilanna Starr as Nerone, among others, bringing to life the complex characters of this historic opera.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness a masterpiece of baroque opera, showcasing the collaborative efforts of a remarkable cast and creative team. Secure your tickets now for a mesmerizing evening of music, drama, and historical intrigue.

The Coronation of Poppea

University of Quebec in Montreal

There are a thousand ways to write love and a thousand ways to live it. French-Italian mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and renowned lutenist Thomas Dunford remind us of this by bringing together these works dedicated to love by Italian composers of the 17th century. The dialogue among pieces by Monteverdi, Merula, Kapsberger, and Frescobaldi highlights the richness and complexity of the sentiment. If love songs today have other finery, Lettera amorosa sighs that the motives and messages remain similar.

Lea Desandre, mezzo & Thomas Dunford, lute

American Philosophical Society

Vocalist Lea Desandre is a major rising star, and “one of today’s most exciting voices in early-music performance” (The New York Times). For this special recital, she teams up with lutenist Thomas Dunford, hailed as the “Eric Clapton of the lute” (BBC Magazine). Carnegie Hall audiences will recognize them both from a breathtaking 2022 performance with the Jupiter ensemble. The chance to witness their debut duo recital in our most intimate venue is not to be missed.

Lea Desandre, Mezzo-Soprano Thomas Dunford, Lute

Carnegie Hall

The Renaissance saw increasing freedom and development in music, with more variety in range, rhythm, notation, form and harmony than ever before. Music became a vehicle for personal expression, with composers finding ways to make vocal music ever more expressive. This program charts some of the most prolific and influential European composers of the age, with a reflection on their legacy through the response of contemporary composers.

Voces8

Kaufman Music Center

This sexy political thriller by Claudio Monteverdi transports you to Ancient Rome where the cunning and beautiful Poppea sets her sights on becoming Empress, no matter the cost. With its beautiful melodies and intricate harmonies, Intermountain Opera Bozeman presents its first-ever Baroque opera in partnership with Bozeman’s own early music ensemble Baroque Music Montana. Hope Lutheran Church offers a stunning performance venue with incomparable acoustics. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime evening of drama and music from the Dawn of Opera. 

Hope Lutheran Church

ALBA Consort creates unique musical journeys with performances throughout the US - 

from the  New York Philharmonic’s New World Initiative to “University of Chicago Presents” - performing ancient music of wonderment and delight from Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus and beyond…

Music of the Spheres

Church of the Holy Trinity

Journey back to the very beginnings of opera to witness two medieval knights locked in mortal combat! Extracts from Monteverdi’s masterful Eighth Book of Madrigals recount every detail of the battle with staggering freshness and pathos. Set to new choreography by Eric Sean Fogel and followed with a lively panel discussion, don’t miss this opportunity for a crucial conversation about how we interpret the tragedy, romance, and complex legacy of the Crusades in the 21st century.

Love & War

Alice Busch Opera Theater

Legendary lovers, Orfeo and Euridice, face death and separation. They undertake a perilous journey from the underworld back to the world of the living. One rule must be followed: Orfeo cannot look at Euridice. His conviction falters, he turns …

This visually breath-taking new production will be directed by MacArthur Prize Winner Yuval Sharon. Starring tenor Rolando Villazón and featuring a new orchestration by Nico Muhly.

Orfeo

Santa Fe Opera

This specially-curated programme is inspired by four of the Garden Follies at Highclere Castle – The Temple of Diana, The Walled Garden, The Etruscan Temple and Heaven’s Gate – arching the line of a love story from first meeting to final parting.

Sansara

Highclere Castle

Handel Dixit Dominus

St John’s Church, Waterloo

Joshua Vavases (M.M. '23) presents a voice recital.

Student Recital: Joshua Vavases, Voice

Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Vaughn Nesmith and Alex Robinson (B.M. '24) present a voice recital.

Student Recital: Vaughn Nesmith and Alex Robinson, Voice

Curtis Institute of Music students perform over 100 free recitals during the semester, held on most Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. Admission requires advance registration and is complimentary.

Early Music Recital

Curtis Institute of Music

The ACO returns to the historic Harlem Parish, the stunning location of its fall ’20 filmed production of The Chaconne Project. Now we assemble the same performers to Revisit that experience in this lively program of Baroque repertoire with a focus on the chaconne—a musical genre that evolved from the bawdiness of 16th-century Spanish street dances to the refinement of Bach’s Chaconne for Solo Violin. In the splendid acoustics of Harlem Parish, we showcase ten vibrant chaconnes that use various combinations of strings, plucked instruments, harpsichord, voice and percussion. Acclaimed Mexican lyric soprano Guadalupe Peraza dazzles with her “mellow, conversational” mezzo (Opera News) and emotional delivery, complemented by dance and hand percussion.

Revisit - The Chaconne Project, a Salon Concert

Harlem Parish

CARMINA BURANA

Civic Auditorium Santa Cruz

Mello Center Watsonville

The Early Baroque era of Italian music brought a zenith of dramatic and technical display in the hands of new generations of virtuoso singers and instrumentalists. Composers and performers united in their course of revealing new depths of expression, color, and theatrical effects through music that is immediately thrilling and enthralling.  From the delicate and spatial interplay of three violins in Marini’s Sonata in Ecco to the full-throated and lovelorn dramatic vocal works of Monteverdi — including two epic narratives from his Madrigals of Love and War — this is a program that moves from mystery to magic and from the sacred to the secular.  Headliner works are Isabella Leonarda’s entrancing Sonata XII, Monteverdi’s Magnificat a 6 from the Vespers of 1610, and the same composer’s powerfully arresting setting of Torquato Tasso’s Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda. An ensemble of evocative ABS artists brings this passionate music to light in a program featuring vocal and violinistic fireworks. 

Composer

Claudio Monteverdi

Events

Upcoming events

Jun 27, 2025 - Apr 11, 2026

Klangzeit · Elbphilharmonie

Jan 22, 2026

Danish Chamber Orchestra / Fischer / D'Angelo: Opening Concert · Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum

Feb 12, 2026

Songs of Love & War · Academy of Ancient Music

Feb 12, 2026

Songs of Love & War · Barbican Centre

Mar 14 - Jun 27, 2026

The Coronation of Poppea L'incoronazione di Poppea · Theater Lübeck

Past events

Jan 11, 2026

Iestyn Davies & Oliver Wass · Garsington Opera

Dec 21, 2025

Advent Concert IV • Czech Philharmonic Low Brass Ensemble · Czech Philharmonic

About

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