Hrvatski

Scarlatti's Serenade “Erminia” Will Be Performed By Concerto de' Cavalieri

Date created: 03.08.2014.

Concerto de’ Cavalieri gained great reputation thanks to the precisiveness of its style and the warmth and liveliness of its interpretation, and is therefore considered one of the most attractive and exciting Italian ensembles performing 18th century music on original instruments. They actively work on discovering forgotten compositions, and have recently performed at the Ambronay Festival with a contemporary premiere of Scarlati’s serenade “Erminia, Tancredi, Polidoro e Pastore“, which they will perform as part of the concert in the Rector’s Palace, where Erminia will be sung by sopranist Gemma Bertagnolli, Tancredi by mezzosopranist Mary-Ellen Nesi, Polidora by tenor Magnus Staveland, and finally Pastorea by bas Christian Senn.

“Erminia“ is Alessandro Scarlatti’s  final great serenade for all singing voices and instruments composed in 1723 in the event of the wedding of Ferdinand Colonn, Prince od Stigliano.  Performed with a great pomp in the family palace, it was surely a special social event described in the Gazzetta di Napoli magazine as the most relevant event of the year. However, following the event, “Erminia” was forgotten, only to be rediscovered three centuries later, in October of 2011, after which she was brought back to life on location of her premiere - in the Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano in Naples, with the help of a project initiated by Naples-based foundation Fondazione Pietà de’ Turchini. This upcoming concert at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival is the next step in this project with a goal of revaluating this Scarlatti’s masterpiece, which is of great musical and historical value.

 

Marcello Di Lisa obtained his docorate degree in filology, as well as Greek and Latin literature at the University of Pisa, studied composition under Francesco Vizioli, and the harpsichord and fortepiano under Andrea Coena. He founded the Concerto de’ Cavalieri ensemble under the University Scula Normale Superiore in Pisa, and has ever since been conducting it at festivals and on concert stages in Italy and abroad. In his newest musical researches he deals with Alessandro Scarlatti’s unpublished partitures, while enjoying the name of one of the most successful interpreters of the mentioned composer’s music. In April of 2013, the magazine "Musical America" named him Artist of the Month.