One of Australia’s most loved and acclaimed sopranos, Sara Macliver and Australian-born International conductor and harpsichord director Benjamin Bayl join the Australian Haydn Ensemble for a stunning program of Handel and Scarlatti.
The program centres around the theme of the Delirium of Love. Handel’s cantata Il Delirio Amoroso was written during Handel’s time in Italy and was first performed in 1707. It features a virtuosic soprano line that is beautifully balanced by solo writing for oboe, recorder and cello. Handel later reused parts of the work in Acis and Galatea and Jephtha.
Il Delirio is beautifully contrasted by Silete Venti, one of Handel’s most transcendent motets which traverses the boundaries of divine and mortal love.
The program also features Handel’s beautiful and tragic love aria from Alcina 'Tornami a vagheggiar’ along with two powerful concerto grossi - the first by Avison, after Domenico Scarlatti, and another by Alessandro Scarlatti.
The program will be directed by special guest artist Benjamin Bayl (Associate Director of The Hanover Band) who makes his debut performance with the Ensemble. Born and raised in Sydney, Benjamin is Co-Founder of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra. He was the first Australian Organ Scholar of King’s College Cambridge, and subsequently studied conducting at London's Royal Academy of Music. He has made highly successful debuts in recent seasons with such orchestras as Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, ANAM, and symphony orchestras throughout Scandinavia, Germany and Italy in particular, as well as many of Europe’s great opera houses. Working extensively in the period instrument field, recent and regular partnerships include The Hanover Band, Collegium Vocale Gent, B’Rock, Concerto Copenhagen, Concerto Köln, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra and Warsaw Chamber Opera.
We are also extremely thrilled to welcome back soprano Sara Macliver replacing Stefanie True, who unfortunately, is no longer able to join us. Sara has performed and recorded with many international and Australian leading period instrument and modern orchestras including the Academy of Ancient Music, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Adelaide Symphony, Western Australian Symphony, Pinchgut Opera, and featured in AHE’s acclaimed program Beautiful Boccherini in 2016. This is a program not to be missed!
PROGRAM
Avison/Scarlatti (After D. Scarlatti) Concerto Grosso No. 3 in D minor
Handel
Motet for soprano and instruments HWV 242
Silete Venti
Handel
Aria from Alcina 'Tornami a vagheggiar’
A. Scarlatti
Concerto Grosso No. 5 from Six Concerti in Seven Parts in D minor
Handel Cantata Il delirio amoroso HWV 99