Baroque masterpieces by Handel, Muffat, and van Wassenaer are contrasted with contemporary compositions by Caroline Shaw, Oliver Leith, and a specially commissioned world premiere by Jacob Druckman Prize winner Isabella Gellis.

Side by Side

Smith Square Hall

Vivaldi’s Venice was a thriving cosmopolitan centre. A meeting point of the European Renaissance with the cultures of North Africa and all corners of the Mediterranean, “La Serenissima” was alive with a kaleidoscope of tastes, sights and sounds – and its musical culture was no exception.

Superlative countertenor Iestyn Davies leads an unmissable exploration of this rich world. Written for performance at dusk, Vivaldi’s deeply atmospheric solo cantata Nisi Dominus evokes an extraordinary array of musical colours. It forms a rich thread through the evening, and its centrepiece “Cum dederit” is a moment of transcendent beauty unmatched in Baroque music.

Figure Ensemble

Jun 2, 2026

Vespers

Apr 9, 2026

Side by Side

Figure Ensemble