Muera Cupido: Music of the Spanish Baroque Theater. Nuria Rial and the ensemble ''Accademia del Piacere'' (Spain)

The ensemble performs on prestigious classical music stages in Europe and around the world: the Berlin Philharmonie, the Vienna and Berlin Konzerthaus, the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle, Oji Hall in Tokyo, the Cologne Philharmonie, the National Auditorium in Madrid, the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, and many other stages in the USA, Germany, France, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, Colombia, Spain, and elsewhere. "Accademia del Piacere" concerts are regularly broadcast live on radio stations belonging to the European Broadcasting Union, and are also shown on television programs (ARTE, Spanish TVE, Japanese NHK, etc.).

Fahmi Alqhai is considered one of the most prominent and prestigious viola da gamba players in the world and is one of the most important interpreters of early music today. His approach to the early repertoire is expressive and communicative; and with his artistic vision and creativity, he bridges different cultures.

Born in 1976 in Seville to a Syrian father and a Palestinian mother, Alqhai embodies the dialogue of Mediterranean cultures. Alqhai spent his early childhood in Syria, where he began his musical studies. He continued his studies in Seville with Ventura Rico, later studying with Paolo Pandolfo at the Schola Cantorum in Basel and with Vittorio Ghielmi at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano. In addition to his musical studies, he also holds a degree in dentistry from the University of Seville.

He is the artistic director of the oldest and most important early music festival in Spain – the Seville Early Music Festival, FeMAS (Festival de Música Antigua de Sevilla).

His projects with flamenco artists are particularly innovative, and he also collaborates with contemporary and jazz music creators, such as Uri Caine. His solo albums "A piacere" (2014) and "The Bach Album" (2016) further solidified his reputation as a visionary performer – both won numerous GEMA, "Scherzo," and "Melómano" awards. In 2018, he was awarded the Medal of the City of Seville.

Since his youth, Alqhai has collaborated regularly with renowned international early music ensembles such as "Hespèrion XXI" and "Il Suonar Parlante," and also appears as a soloist with orchestras, including the Spanish National Orchestra, the Real Filharmonía de Galicia, the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, and the Seville Baroque Orchestra.

He has recorded music for the labels Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Alia Vox, Glossa, Winter & Winter, as well as his own label, "Alqhai & Alqhai."

Soprano Nuria Rial has recently become one of the most highly regarded singers on the Baroque and classical music scene – she is praised for her clear voice and its shimmering sound, natural and emotional singing, and elegant phrasing. Her work consists mainly of concerts and recordings; the singer has released more than 30 albums. Since 2009, she has had an exclusive recording contract with "Sony Classical." Nuria's broad artistic interests also include music from the Romantic period and the 20th–21st centuries, stylistic fusions (such as jazz or flamenco), as well as genres like Lied and opera. Nuria Rial has collaborated with conductors René Jacobs and Iván Fischer, and theater director Peter Sellars – appearing at La Monnaie, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Teatro Real, and others.

Having studied in Basel with Kurt Widmer, Rial regularly performs in major European concert halls and festivals, such as the Salzburger Festspiele, the Lucerne Festival, or the Leipzig Bachfest, and collaborates with renowned conductors (including Antonini, Bonizzoni, Capuano, Cummings, Currentzis, Equilbey, Goodwin, Hengelbrock, Leonhardt, Minkowski, and Pinnock). She is regularly invited to sing with ensembles such as "Accademia del Piacere," "Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin," "Bach Stiftung St. Gallen," "Balthasar Neumann Ensemble," the Budapest Festival Orchestra, "Café Zimmermann," "Concerto Köln," "Il Giardino Armonico," "Il Pomo d’Oro," "Insula Orchestra," the Basel Chamber Orchestra, "Les Musiciens du Louvre," and the "Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century."

Her recordings have won the "Orphée d’Or" award, as well as various "Echo Classical Music" prizes in different categories, such as "Best Young Artist" (2009) or the award for the best opera CD (2012). In 2020, Nuria was awarded the "Opus Klassik" prize for "Best Vocal Album (Soloist)" for the album "Muera Cupido," recorded together with Fahmi Alqhai and "Accademia del Piacere."

Program

Sebastián Durón (1660–1716) Sinfonía Grave – Fuga – Proporción from the comedy "Muerte en Amor es la Ausencia" (National Library of Spain, No. 1365) Reconstruction – Fahmi Alqhai

Attributed to Sebastián Durón and José de Torres (c. 1670–1738) Yo hermosísima Ninfa Recitative – Aria from "El imposible mayor en amor le vence Amor" —

Sebastián Durón Quantos teméis al rigor Arietta ytaliana - Rezitado [Brioso] - [Vibo] from "Las nuevas armas de Amor" —

Xácaras & Folías Improvisation

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Sebastián Durón Glauco senor, dueno mío Aria [Despazio] from "Veneno es de Amor la envidia" (National Library of Spain, No. 19254)

Anonymous author Cantata "All’assalto de pensieri" (National Library of Spain, No. 2246) —

Santiago de Murcia (1673–1739) and Fahmi Alqhai Tarantella & Fandango

Sebastián Durón Sosieguen, descansen Solo humano from "Salir el Amor del Mundo" —

Fahmi Alqhai Marionas

Giovanni Bononcini (1670–1747) Pastorella che tra le selve (National Library of Spain, No. 2245)

Fahmi Alqhai Canarios —

Sebastián Durón Muera Cupido from "Salir el Amor del Mundo"

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Sebastián Durón Cantata "Ay, que me abraso de amor en la llama"

Concert duration – 1 hour Doors open – 18:30 Tickets distributed by www.bilietai.lt

Concert partner – Pirklių klubas.

The ensemble "Accademia del Piacere" is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and the Andalusian Agency of Cultural Institutions.

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More information at www.bmfestival.lt

Festival organizer Public concert institution "Banchetto musicale"

Festival funded by Lithuanian Council for Culture Vilnius City Municipality

Partners National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania Trakų Vokė Manor LNDM Museum of Applied Arts and Design Climbing center "Montis Magia" Pirklių klubas Cathedral Apart-Hotel Feel Reel Spanish Ministry of Culture Andalusian Agency of Cultural Institutions

Information partners LRT KLASIKA Magazine "Moteris" Culture and art magazine "Nemunas" Weekly "7 meno dienos" Weekly "Savaitė" News portal "Lrytas" UAB "Media traffic"

In case of unforeseen circumstances, the festival organizers reserve the right to change the event program.