The Brussels Virtuosi Orchestra: Concertos Virtuoses et airs d'opéra | Marc Grauwels, flute • Vassiliki Karayanni, soprano • Nikos Spanatis, countertenor

The Brussels Virtuosi Orchestra:
Concertos Virtuoses et airs d'opéra

Historical venue of St Paul’s Anglican Church
27 Filellinon St., Athens

Tuesday 1st December 2015

(Two concerts) at 20:00 and 21:30

Brussels Virtuosi Orchestra

Marc Grauwels, flute

Vassiliki Karayanni
soprano

Nikos Spanatis
countertenor

MEDIA SPONSOR

TV SPOT

The Brussels Virtuosi, a music ensemble of exceptional virtuosity, which was founded by internationally awarded Belgian flutist Marc Grauwels, in a unique concert in Athens, within the frame of their tour in Greece, will present a program with works by Mozart, Vivaldi, Cimarosa, Doppler, Rachmaninoff and Delibes, on Tuesday 1st December, at 20:30, at St Paul’s atmospheric church.

The renowned orchestra Brussels Virtuosi joins their creator and flutist Marc Grauwels, soprano and protagonist of National Opera, Vassiliki Karagianni and established countertenor Nikos Spanatis.

The evening begins with the “heavenly” melody of the “Dance of the Blessed Spirits” for flute and string orchestra from “Orpheus” by Gluck, as the music colors the hero’s passage at the Champs-Élysées, seeing his beloved Eurydice from a distance. Marc Grauwels and violinist and conductor Jean-Frédéric Molard present, in an original version for flute, violin and string orchestra, one of the finest sonatas of Italian classical composer Domenico Cimarosa. The second part begins with popular “Vocalise” by Rachmaninoff, where the composer, without eloquence and influenced, as a teenager, by the hymns of the Orthodox Church, composes this “silent” piece with special sense, nostalgia and rare timbre. From the 20th century’s freedom we transfer to witch Alcina’s island with the seductive aria “Sol da te mio dolce amore” of knight Ruggiero from Vivaldi’s opera Orlando Furioso, enjoying a virtuosic dialogue between flute and voice, which speaks for the knight’s love for witch Alcina, happening against his will, with magic spells. With romantic piece “Le Rossignol” by Léo Delibes, dedicated to the singing of the nightingale, soprano and flute imitate the sounds of nature dancing in a waltz rhythm. The program concludes with two more vocal works by Mozart, Ascanio’s aria “Al mio ben mi veggio Avanti” from mythological early opera Ascanio in Alba for string orchestra and counter tenor, where Ascanio asks from Aphrodite to release him and let him approach his beloved one, and the wonderful duet of Annio and Servilia from the opera La Clemenza di Tito “Ah perdona al primo affetto”, where the young lovers exchange vows of eternal love.

General admission: 12 euros

TICKET SERVICES - LOGISMIKI LTD
Call center: +30 210 7234567, fax. +30 210 7224173
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Box office: 39, Panepistimiou Str. (Pesmazoglou Arc),
Athens, Greece (map)
Working hours:
Mon/Wed: 9am-5pm, Tue/Thu/Fri: 9am-8pm, Sat: 10am-2pm

Organization and Communicating:

specs 'n' arts

PROGRAM

C.W. Gluck (1714-1787)
"Menuet from Orpheo and Euridice" for flute and orchestra

Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801)
Concerto en sol majeur pour flûte, violon et orchestre
(Allegro - Largo - Rondo)

S. Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
"Vocalise" for soprano and orchestra

A. Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Orlando Furioso | Ruggiero
"Sol da te mio dolce amore" for countertenor, flute and orchestra

L.Delibes (1836-1891)
"le Rossignol" for soprano, flute and orchestra

W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)
Ascanio in Alba | Ascanio
"Al mio ben mi veggio avanti" for countertenor and orchestra

La Clemenza di Tito | Duet of Annio and Servilia
"Ah perdona al primo affetto" for soprano, countertenor, flute and orchestra

The Brussels Virtuosi international ensemble was founded in 1981 on the initiative of flautist Marc Grauwels. Its first concert took place on the occasion of the opening of the International Music Festival of the city of Brussels in 1981, to general acclaim. Flexible in its formation, it was conceived as an ensemble to perform rarer repertoire, appearing as a trio, as a quartet with flute, or as a formal Chamber Orchestra. The Brussels Virtuosi have participated in countless international Festivals, including the Festivals of Wallonia, Flanders, Hong Kong, Ravello, Seoul, and Tokyo. The orchestra regularly tours in Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea, the United States, the Netherlands, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela. The ensemble has recorded an impressive number of CDs, including releases that have won international awards.