Love and Perfidy
Ancient Myths in the Works of G. F. Händel and his Contemporaries
Imperial Hall
Jiřská 3/1, Pražský hrad, Praha 1 - Hradčany, 110 00
Programme
Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725)
Concerto a quattro Nr. 3 in F major
Penelope la Casta (1696): Dove sei, cara mia vita?
Didone Delirante (1696): A un’alma ch’è forte
G. F. Händel (1685–1759)
Triosonata G major op. 5
Armida abbandonata (1707) – selections
J. A. Hasse (1699–1783)
Sinfonia g minor op. 5
Achille in Sciro (1759): No, ingrato, amor non senti
Niccolò Porpora (1686–1768)
Concerto da Camera e minor no. 5
Polifemo (1737): Smanie d’affanno
C. H. Graun (1704–1759)
Britannico (1751): Mi paventi
Concert with intermission.
Expected end of the concert: 21:30.
Artists
Birgit Schnurpfeil, Andreas Pfaff – violin
Ulrike Paetz – viola
Ulrike Becker – cello
Mark Nordstrand – harpsichord
Annotation
In 1683, one of the most important fresco artists of the 17th century, Fabián Václav Harovník, died in Prague. A few years later, three hundred kilometres away from here, a son was born to the local bonesetter Händel in Halle an der Saale. He was be christened Georg Friedrich and became so famous around the world that his name will forever remain a synonym of musical perfection and invention. Both artists were great lovers of the ancient myth. Harovník painted the ceilings of the Lobkowicz palace with mythological motifs; Händel wove mythical stories into music.
Galatea, Agrippina, Penelopa, Dido, Armida and Alcina are the ancient heroines who will come together under Harovník’s frescoes at the Lobkowicz Palace, accompanied by the eminent German ensemble lautten compagney BERLIN. Their stories of love and perfidy will be sung by the beautiful soprano of Hanna Herfurtner.
The ancient heroines were often abandoned on deserted islands, washed by the immense waters of the sea. Händel, however, was always surrounded by the excellent music of his contemporaries, including operas and cantatas by Alessandro Scarlatti, Niccolo Porpora and Johann Adolph Hasse.
Venue
Imperial Hall
Jiřská 3/1, Pražský hrad, Praha 1 - Hradčany, 110 00
Partners of the concert
With the kind support of the Deutsch-Tschechischer Zukunftsfonds and in collaboration with Lobkowicz Events Management.
