Pier Francesco Cavalli And Giovan Busenello's 1641 La Didone To Be Performed Honoring The 350th Anniversary Of The Printing Of Busenello's Libretti

As a centerpiece of the 2006 Washington Early Music Fesitval this June, the Ignoti Dei Opera, America's leading young opera company dedicated to informed and challenging productions of early opera, will present the New World première of Pier Francesco Cavalli and Giovan Busenello's 1641 "La Didone" in honor the 350th anniversary of the printing of Busenello's libretti and in conjunction with the National Gallery of Arts exhibit Bellini, Giorogione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting. [This opera premiered one year before Busenello and Monteverdi's more famous "L'Incoronazione di Poppea".]

This will be a rare opportunity for American audiences to experience this neglected operatic masterpiece that tells the story of the fall of Troy and the love of Dido and Aeneas. For its Washington première, Ignoti Dei Opera brings together a cast and orchestra of America's finest early musicians. The cast is led by eminent soprano Rosa Lamoreaux and Tragicomedia veteran tenor Aaron Sheehan. The orchestra will be led by America's foremost Baroque violinist Robert Mealy, and will include an expanded continuo section of organ, harpsichord, theorbos, guitars, gambas, and lirone. Noted for his vivid and striking stage pictures, acclaimed director Timothy Nelson has designed an innovative and powerful production of stylized gesture, stark setting, arresting images.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 16 to 19, 2006.

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2006 Washington Early Music Festival
June 2 to 25, 2006

http://www.earlymusicdc.org/schedule.htm

Bellini, Giorgione, Titian and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting June 18 to September 17, 2006

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/
renaissanceinfo.shtm

The Poetry of Light: Venetian Drawings from the National Gallery of Art April 30 to October 1, 2006

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/venetianinfo.htm

Gian Francesco Busenello

http://www.goldbergweb.com/en/magazine/essays/
2005/10/36187.php













Gian Francesco Busenello. Libertine lawyer and the first librettist in history. Patron Saint to today's serious librettists world-wide.

Image credit: baroquelibretto.free.fr/ busenello.htm. With thanks.