LA MAGNIFICA COMUNITÀ
ENRICO CASAZZA, director
FRANCESCO MICHELI, narrator
Prologue: Venice
GALLO: Sonata La Follia for two violins, viola, cello and basso continuo
Turkey, or Cities and Exchanges
HANDEL: from Tamerlano, HWV 18: Sinfonia; Asteria, S’ei non mi vuol amare
VIVALDI: from Bajazet: Sposa son disprezzata
Persia, or Cities and Desire
HASSE: from Artaserse: Overture; Son qual nave
India, or Continuous Cities
VIVALDI: Concerto for violin, strings and continuo, Grosso Mogul
HANDEL: from Alessandro: Lisaura, Sì, m’è caro imitar quel bel fiore
China, or Hidden Cities
VIVALDI: from Teuzzone, RV 736: Sinfonia; Zidania, Io sembro, appunto quell’augelletto
Finale
ANONYMOUS, 18th century: Chaconne for harpsichord
La Magnifica Comunità was founded in 1990 as a Baroque instrumental ensemble, with the ambition of taking historical and stylistic research further and distinguishing itself through the evocative authenticity of its musical performances.
Enrico Casazza is concertmaster and director.
The recipient of numerous awards and critical acclaim, La Magnifica Comunità is one of the world’s leading chamber ensembles specialising in seventeenth and eighteenth-century repertoire.
The ensemble has collaborated with internationally renowned singers including Vivica Genaux, Simone Kermes, Sonia Prina, Romina Basso and Raffaella Milanesi, and has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls and festivals in Italy and abroad, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Konzerthaus Berlin, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Salle Gaveau in Paris, the Festival de Musique Baroque de Lyon, I Concerti del Quirinale in Rome, the Herkulessaal in Munich, Teatro Principal in Santiago de Compostela, Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Haydnsaal at Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt, Ravenna Festival, MITO Festival, Sochi International Winter Arts Festival and Teatro Grande in Brescia, among many others.
Among its many distinctions are the Choc de la Musique and the recording of the fourth volume of Luigi Boccherini’s Quintets for the Brilliant label, which received the prestigious five-Diapason rating from the renowned French magazine Diapason, as well as highly favourable reviews from specialist publications. For the same Dutch label, La Magnifica Comunità is currently completing the recording of Boccherini’s complete Quintets.
Among its many recordings, the ensemble has also recorded for Sony, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Amadeus, Tactus and Tring International.