Cast Philippe Jaroussky Countertenor Ensemble Artaserse
Presentation
In baroque Rome, stage performances were regularly banned, and women could not perform in concerts either. It was then that the oratorio gained its place: sacred or allegorical librettos fed the dramatic vein of the music, without departing from the rules imposed by the Pope, and giving first place to the castrati! Originally performed in the Oratory of the Church of San Filippo Neri, they were quickly presented in the palaces of the Roman princes, under the signature of Carissimi, Stradella, Scarlatti, but also Handel! Italy reigned over musical Europe, its great composers and singers were active in all the princely courts and large cities of the continent. They used the same language and the same expressive intensity both in theatres and churches, the sacred was however bound by strict rules, without sacrificing virtuosity or the love of beautiful melodies.
Drawing from a vast repertoire of innumerable gems, Philippe Jaroussky offers a programme tailored to his legendary musicality and his no less celebrated vocal mastery. A nod from an artist who has just celebrated the 20th anniversary of his beginnings, Philippe Jaroussky's new album includes Alessandro Scarlatti's oratorio Sedecia Re di Gerusalemme, a work that propelled him to the forefront of the stage in 1999. So, for this anniversary, let us be overwhelmed by the beauty of baroque oratorios!
In baroque Rome, stage performances were regularly banned, and women could not perform in concerts either. It was then that the oratorio gained its place: sacred or allegorical librettos fed the dramatic vein of the music, without departing from the rules imposed by the Pope, and giving first place to the castrati! Originally performed in the Oratory of the Church of San Filippo Neri, they were quickly presented in the palaces of the Roman princes, under the signature of Carissimi, Stradella, Scarlatti, but also Handel! Italy reigned over musical Europe, its great composers and singers were active in all the princely courts and large cities of the continent. They used the same language and the same expressive intensity both in theatres and churches, the sacred was however bound by strict rules, without sacrificing virtuosity or the love of beautiful melodies.
Drawing from a vast repertoire of innumerable gems, Philippe Jaroussky offers a programme tailored to his legendary musicality and his no less celebrated vocal mastery. A nod from an artist who has just celebrated the 20th anniversary of his beginnings, Philippe Jaroussky's new album includes Alessandro Scarlatti's oratorio Sedecia Re di Gerusalemme, a work that propelled him to the forefront of the stage in 1999. So, for this anniversary, let us be overwhelmed by the beauty of baroque oratorios!
