L’Ora di Barga (world première) – Teatro dei Differenti

As you can quite clearly see and hear in the video below, it was a special evening at the Teatro dei Differenti with music of an exceptionally high quality in a concert to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the death of Giovanni Pascoli.

It has to be said that it was not what could be described as an “easy concert” as the music of Michael Stimpson took his audience in directions and areas that they probably were not used to travelling or inhabiting but at the end of the evening all present must have left the teatro with a whole new gamut of emotions running through their heads and hearts.

The poetry of Pascoli was never going to be the same again.

With Massimo Salotti’s secure hands on the keyboard of the Steinway, Sally Li the soprano performed the world première of a new work by Michael dedicated to ‘il Comune di Barga’, a setting for soprano and piano of Pascoli’s renowned poem, L’Ora di Barga

There followed  a performance of Dall’Alba al Tramonto for baritone and piano, this time with the tenor Enrico Nenci.

Interspersed between these two performances were readings from six of Pascoli’s poetry by Massimo Grigo’ and accompanying guitar pieces by Giacomo Brunini playing selections from  Five Miniatures, once again composed by Michael Stimpson.

Music from Giacomo Puccini complete this unique concert.

Performers : Enrico Nenci (tenor) | Sally Li (soprano) | Massimo Grigo (reader) | Giacomo Brunini (guitar) | Massimo Salotti (piano) | Massimo Grigo’ – actor