‘Note al Museo:’ Cathedral Museum Concerts

Notes at the Museum, Concerts in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

For the fifth consecutive year, Cathedral Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo) will be hosting the free the ‘Note al Museo’ concert series starting on October 31 through March 20. The concerts will be held in front of the original Baptistry doors and the recreated original façade of the Santa Maria del Fiore. The museum hopes that the varied and dynamic music will highlight the artistic setting, creating a “dialogue between works of art and music, in the name of beauty.” This year, the series promises to be incredibly dynamic and unusual with high-quality performers that has always distinguished the shows, alongside the unique location.

The concerts are free but require reservations that will open the Thursday of the preceding week. They can be made in person at Piazza San Giovanni 7 or online. 

Shows

November 28 (9 pm): Mendelssohn and Bruch Octets by the Indigo and Echos Quartets

For the first time, Notes at the Museum will host two promising Italian quartets, They have been united to play the two octet masterpieces by the respective masters. The Indigo Quartet was formed in 2007 and has been awarded the “Jeunesses Musicales” prize. The Echos Quartet was formed later in 2013 and has received the “Piero Farulli” prize. This concert is in collaboration with the recognized Le Dimore del Quartetto organization. The talent and recognition in all of these groups and the pieces they are performing promises a stunning evening of music.

December 12 (9 pm): “Baroque Christmas” with the Concerto de Cavalieri and Marcello di Lisa

To celebrate Christmas, a combination of famous and rare Italian Baroque era pieces will be performed by the Concerto de Cavalieri. The group will play a variety of music from the time, from Corelli to Manfredini to Vivaldi. Concerto de Cavalieri is led by Marcello di Lisa and has Frederico Guglielmo as the principal violin. The performers have been recognized for discovering and reviving long lost pieces from this era. They will also be accompanied by the singers Daniela Barcellona, Vivica Genaux, Ann Hallenburg, and Andreas Scholl.

January 16 (9 pm): “From Vivaldi to Sollima,” violin duets by the duo Chiara Zanisi and Stefano Barneschi

A violin duo is a rare combination in the history of music, but this concert will provide the opportunity to explore the complexities and charm of this unique opportunity. The concert offers a wide variety of music from the 18th century to the present. The two skilled violinists will execute pieces from the aforementioned Vivaldi and Sollima, as well as composers like Haydn, Leclair, Bartok, and more. Sollima was inspired by this duo so much he composed the piece, “Suitcase,” specifically for them. 

February 20 (9 pm): “Three Centuries of Music in Six Strings” with Guitarist Eugenio Della Chiara

This solo recital will be reviving three centuries of seldom-performed classical guitar music. The virtuoso will be performing famous guitar pieces by Paganini and Tarrega, as well as pieces from several famous guitarists of today. The theme for his program is “journey,” referring to the famous lifelong works of Schubert and Mozart. Della Chiara will present Mozart’s Capriccio Diabolico, a classic benchmark for classical guitarists, with virtuoso effects to prove his talent and do justice to the majesty of this piece.

March 20 (9 pm); Arias and Belcanto with Jessica Pratt and Gianni Fabbrini

This series will host one of the most recognized sopranos of the day, Jessica Pratt, accompanied on piano by Gianni Fabbrini. Pratt has been long-awaited to perform in this space with a program featuring the Italian virtuosity of the 19th century; this concert is promising to be a showcase for the feminine opera vocals. There will be arias from Donizetti, Bellini, and Rossini sung by the soprano that are both longer and infamous, and shorter and contemporary. (jax viteznik)