Concert "Follia Napoletana - 300 years of the genius of Alessandro Scarlatti"

International Early Music Ensemble CANTO FIORITO

Rodrigo Calveyra - artistic director; cornetto, recorder (Brazil/France)

Renata Dubinskaitė - mezzo-soprano

Rodolfo Richter - baroque violin (Brazil/United Kingdom)

Konrad Levicki - violin

Mindaugas Bačkus - baroque cello

Andrea Buccarella - harpsichord, organ (Italy)

 

The “Follia Napoletana” commemorates the 300th anniversary of the death of Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti (1660-1725). The music of this creator embodies the passionate elegance and ingenuity of the Neapolitan baroque. In his music, order and spontaneity coexist - structure obeys feeling, and reason surrenders to expressive follia (the Italian word “follia” means both madness and a boisterous, passionate ancient dance, recorded since the 15th century). It is a world in which harmony works together with drama, and beauty comes from the tension between intelligence and fire.

 

A. Scarlatti is one of the great architects of late Baroque music - the innovations initiated by the composer shaped the musical sound of an entire generation. Often regarded as the foremost representative of the so-called Neapolitan school, he helped define the musical language of the 18th century - uniting the grandeur of 17th-century counterpoint with the clarity of melody that would later give rise to the Classical style. Born in Palermo and active in Rome and Naples, A. Scarlatti infused the rigorous Roman contrapuntal tradition with a southern flair, rich in theatricality and rhythmic vitality. “Canto Fiorito”, Lithuania’s most active early music ensemble, led by Rodrigo Calveyra, has been exploring and performing Renaissance and Baroque music since 2013.

 

The ensemble has performed in many European countries, including Austria, Estonia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Poland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and Germany. In 2017, founded an early music festival in Kretinga, led by R. Calveyra, which features world-class early music stars performing with the oldest organs in Lithuania. The repertoire of “Canto Fiorito” includes programmes dedicated to the musical heritage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Baroque operas such as “Alchina” by Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759) and “Kirke” by Alessandro Stradella (1643-1682), as well as a series of concerts dedicated to the architect Johann Christoph Glaubitz (c. 1700-1767). “Canto Fiorito” places great emphasis on early music education and concerts in the regions. The ensemble has released the albums “Deus Deus Meus” (2014), “Barbara Strozzi. La voce sola” (2021), and the anniversary recording “From Rome to Vilnius” (2024), which highlights the influence of Italian composers on the music of the Vasa Court.

 

The concert programme will reveal the many facets of Alessandro Scarlatti’s artistry - operatic brilliance, sacred expressiveness, and instrumental refinement - coming together to paint a cohesive portrait of the composer. Each musical piece will unveil a different shade of Scarlatti’s genius: his virtuosic mastery, emotional clarity, and inexhaustible capacity to surprise. Together they will praise the composer whose music still shines with a vibrant light.