Tantalo Bel Canto Baroque

Description

Founded in 2012 and led by Alessandro Urbano, L'Armonia degli Affetti, a flexible ensemble, focuses on Italian baroque music from the 17th and 18th centuries. The medieval theory of “The Harmony of the Spheres,” which posits that the movement of planets creates sublime music, and the theory of emotions in music (Teoria degli affetti, Claudio Monteverdi 1567-1643) are the sources of inspiration that gave this musical ensemble its name. The ensemble's very first project was dedicated to the opera "Orfeo Dolente" by Domenico Belli (1616) as part of a research project at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève. This opera was performed in its entirety in a world premiere in Geneva in May 2012. The reconstruction of the opera resulted in a staged performance featuring a total of fifty musicians, including the orchestra, choirs, and soloists. Since then, L'Armonia degli Affetti has aimed to continue a methodical and in-depth musicological research, revisiting original manuscripts whenever possible, analyzing the historical and rhetorical context in order to restore music that is both vibrant and respectful of performance practices. In 2014, the ensemble was among the winners of the "Young Ensembles" competition in Ambronay (France). It was granted residency at the Centre Culturel de Rencontre d'Ambronay and at the Ghislieri College in Pavia (Italy). It also performed at the Ambronay Festival during the EEEmerging 2014 edition. The ensemble focused on the oratorios of Giacomo Carissimi, including research on Carissimi's instruments and performance practices in Rome during his time. The Carissimi concert given in 2015 as part of the European Day of Early Music organized by REMA (European Network for Early Music) marked the beginning of the collaboration with Portuguese tenor Fernando Guimarães. L'Armonia degli Affetti was featured in the 2015 program of the Baroque Festival of the Mont Blanc region with a repertoire dedicated to Iberian music. On this occasion, collaboration with Portuguese musicologist Carlos Antunes allowed the ensemble to discover and present to the public unpublished excerpts from the first opera in Italian performed at the Royal Palace of Lisbon: La Pazienza di Socrate by Francisco Antonio de Almeida. Continuing its musicological research, the ensemble delved into the concept of declamation in the repertoire of the early Italian baroque period and the concept of Recitar Cantando. A lasting collaboration was established with countertenor Carlos Mena. In 2018, L'Armonia degli Affetti generated great interest by presenting the music of composer Pietro Paolo Bencini (Rome, 18th century) in Geneva, in co-production with the Ensemble Vocal de Poche de Genève. In 2019, L'Armonia degli Affetti was included in the program of the Summer Concerts Festival in St. Germain (Geneva).