Upcoming Concerts in 2020
Sunday 17th May 2020, 7.00pm CANCELLED
St John’s Smith Square (part of London Festival of Baroque Music)
Handel Ariodante
Polly Leech Ariodante
Nardus Williams Ginevra
Alexandra Oomens Dalinda
James Platt Il re di Scozia
Nicholas Tamagna Polinesso
Christopher Turner Lurcanio
Orlando, Alcina and Ariondante all have librettos taken from Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso and it has been our pleasure to present these three marvellous operas over three years at London Festival of Baroque Music. Ariodante completes the trio and with an exceptional cast of ‘next generation’ Handelians La Nuova Musica is very excited to present the opera, in its near complete form, only omitting the dances. Unlike Orlando and Alcina, there is little cross-dressing and few endless plot mascinations, so the story is surprisingly easy to follow. That said, you can expect Handel’s typical characterisations, fantastic melodies and dazzling vocal displays equal to the finest in his operatic cannon.
“..the players of La Nuova Musica and conductor David Bates favour elegance and warmth while pulling out the stops at moments of high drama.” THE STAGE on Alcina
“The balance, sensitivity and attention to detail were frequently staggering, and the various solo instruments cut through the air with spellbinding precision.” MUSICOMH.COM on Orlando
Monday 18th May 2020, 7.30pm CANCELLED
Brighton Dome (part of Brighton Festival)
Monday 1st June 2020, 4.00pm CANCELLED
Handel Festspiele, Halle
Handel’s Unsung Heroes
Iestyn Davies Countertenor
Thomas Gould Violin
Stjepan Nodilo Oboe
Joe Qiu Bassoon
David Bates Director
Overture from Teseo
Venti Turbini from Rinaldo
Pena Tiranna from Amadigi
Passacaille from Rodrigo
Gia l’ebro from Orlando
Se in fiorito from Giulio Cesare
Sonata del overtura from Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno
Crede l’uom ch’egli riposi from Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno
Concerto Grosso in B flat Op. 3 No.2
Scherza infida from Ariodante
Sento la Gioia from Amadigi
Launching our three-year residency at Brighton Festival, we present a collection of Handel’s finest operatic obbligato arias (just solo voice and up to three accompanying instruments: in this case violin, oboe and bassoon). The virtuosity and lyricism required of these often overlooked heroes of the opera world will be recognised as three of LNM’s principal players will share the limelight with internationally renowned countertenor Iestyn Davies in a programme that includes arias from Handel masterpieces, Ariondante, Amadigi, Rinaldo, Rodrigo. Orlando, Giulio Cesare, Teseo and Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.
LNM’s virtuoso instrumentalists include violinist Thomas Gould, oboist Stjepan Nodilo and bassoonist Joe Qiu, who will be joined by other members of LNMs world-renowned ensemble, led by David Bates.
“Davies was the epitome of effortless meticulousness… Bates, La Nuova Musica and the soloists, especially Davies, shone shafts of light which pierced the darkness, leading to the arresting and exultant illumination of the opera’s conclusion.” OPERA TODAY on LNM’s recording of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, 2019
Wednesday 8th July 2020, 7.30pm CANCELLED
Wigmore Hall
An Italian Sojourn
Anna Dennis soprano
Nick Pritchard tenor
David Bates director/harpsichord
Blow God spake sometime in visions
Purcell Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes
Monteverdi Lamento della ninfa: non avea Febo ancora
Monteverdi Beatus vir
Purcell Incassum, Lesbia, incassum rogas (Elegy on the death of Queen Mary)
Purcell Rejoice in the Lord alway
Purcell In Guilty night (Saul and the witch of Endor)
Cassandra Miller Sleepsinging
Blow Salvator mundi
Carissimi Jephte
Following ‘A French Affair’ in January, where we examine Purcell through a Gallic ‘lens’ we turn our attention to Purcell’s musical connections with his Italian contemporaries. Plus there’s another chance to hear Cassandra Miller’s bewitching Sleepsinging, premiered in January. A reimagining of Purcell’s Fairie Queen, it conjures the half-way point between sleep and wakefulness, to mysterious and hypnotic effect.
Saturday 12th September 2020, 7.30pm
Wigmore Hall
Monteverdi Gala
Louise Kemeny Soprano
Ben Johnson Tenor
David Bates Director
A feast of sacred and secular vocal gems from the trailblazing composer who bridged the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Prologue from L’Orfeo favola in musica
Rosa del Ciel from L’Orfeo favola in musica
Lamento della ninfa from Ottavo libro dei madrigali
Audi Coelum from Selva morale e spirituale
Iubilate a voce sola in dialogo from Selva morale e spirituale
Chiome d’oro from Settimo libro dei madrigali
Voglio di vita uscir
Nigra sum from Vespro della Beata Vergine
Lamento d’Arianna
Tarquinio Merula Ciaconna
Zefiro torna
Laudate dominum from Selve morale e spirituale
Il combattimento di Tancredo e Clorinda from Ottavo libro dei madrigali
Booking opens to Wigmore Hall Friends on 7 April. Public booking from 2 June. More info