MATER DOLOROSA - Music of Heinrich Schütz & Nicola Logroscino by ViBE – Valletta Baroque Ensemble

11 April 2019, 20:00 - Collegiate Church of Saint Lawrence, Birgu

Albert Buttigieg. Image courtesy of Manoel Theatre

ViBE - Valletta Baroque Ensemble is the resident ensemble of the Valletta Baroque Festival. It was born out of a cultural need for Malta to have its own ensemble specifically focused on the study and performances of baroque music, including the rich repertoire of Maltese baroque works. “The establishment of the Valletta baroque festival on 2012 automatically entailed the foundation of the festival’s baroque ensemble to compliment it. In this way Malta’s only baroque ensemble can perform music from the baroque period all the year round and not only during the festival,” Kenneth Zammit Tabona, artistic director of Teatru Manoel and the Valletta Baroque Festival, explains. “We now have several baroque instruments including three harpsichords, several gambas, a theorbo and three clavichords,” he continues.

Alessandra Vivasori. Image courtesy of Manoel Theatre

For this concert the ensemble chose the beautiful baroque setting of the Collegiate Church of St Lawrence in Birgu; a perfect place to perform the Symphonaie Sacrae II of Heinrich Schütz and the Stabat Mater of the Italian composer Nicola Logroscino. “The ensemble selected these two works because,” as Sarah Spiteri, leader of ViBE tells us, “we want to share with our audience incredibly beautiful works, which are rarely performed. In both works there is a spirit of intense drama, which tells us a lot about the professional skill and, above all else, about the passionate inspiration of its composers. The manner in which they manage to paint the musical colours combined with the text is a perfect vehicle for the unfolding drama.”

Gillian Zammit. Courtesy of Manoel Theatre

Musicians are Nadia Debono, Sarah Spiteri, Jacob Portelli, Yavor Genov and Joanne Camilleri. The vocalists joining the ensemble are soprano Gillian Zammit, mezzo-soprano Alessandra Vavasori and bass Albert Buttigieg.

In all a concert not to be missed, giving attention to the Mater Dolorosa in a unique setting.

11 April 2019, 20:00 - Collegiate Church of Saint Lawrence, Birgu

More information and tickets on teatrumanoel.mt, the box office or at the door.

Content and images supplied by Manoel Theatre

Edited: TEMPLE Magazine