la Settimana Enigmstica 2024

Arnaud Marzorati and his singers, ‘Les Lunaisiens’, are unrivalled specialists in the popular French songs of the past centuries. Here they tackle two great monuments of 19th-century France: the writer Honoré de Balzac, and songwriter Pierre-Jean de Béranger, a poet and composer highly famed in his day for his genius in depicting society in all its social diversity, from the poorest to the very richest.

After "Roma ’600", dedicated to the cultured and popular music of the Eternal City, I Bassifondi explore the music of the most famous baroque guitarist in 17th-century Europe, who brought the guitar to England and then to the court of the Sun King in France: Francesco Corbetta. The trio, led by Simone Vallerotonda, welcomes a special guest, Bor Zuljan, one of the best lutenists on the scene, with whom Simone Vallerotonda plays a concerto and several "pièces de caractère" for two guitars. This collection represents the triumph of virtuosity, refinement and harmonic experimentation in the 17th century.

Soprano Paula Sides and pianist Sergey Rybin have teamed up for this vibrant new recording of works by the French 20th Century composer Francis Poulenc. The centrepiece of the album is Poulenc's short solo opera La voix humaine ("The human voice"), based on the play of the same name by his friend Jean Cocteau.

Soprano Paula Sides and pianist Sergey Rybin have teamed up for this vibrant new recording of works by the French 20th Century composer Francis Poulenc. The centrepiece of the album is Poulenc's short solo opera La voix humaine ("The human voice"), based on the play of the same name by his friend Jean Cocteau.

After "Roma ’600", dedicated to the cultured and popular music of the Eternal City, I Bassifondi explore the music of the most famous baroque guitarist in 17th-century Europe, who brought the guitar to England and then to the court of the Sun King in France: Francesco Corbetta. The trio, led by Simone Vallerotonda, welcomes a special guest, Bor Zuljan, one of the best lutenists on the scene, with whom Simone Vallerotonda plays a concerto and several "pièces de caractère" for two guitars. This collection represents the triumph of virtuosity, refinement and harmonic experimentation in the 17th century. A music that takes the guitars beyond their limits, competing, and perhaps surpassing, their historical rival, the lute. To seal the recording there are four vocal tracks dedicated to the Kings of England and the Duke of York, in the French style. A visionary recording of rare beauty!

Sibil•la Ensemble draws inspiration from the Sibyls, the female prophetesses who have captivated the human imagination from ancient pagan times to the medieval era and Renaissance. Sibyls were revered across cultures for their divine insights and prophecies. They were seen as conduits between the mortal realm and the divine, shaping the spiritual beliefs of Western civilizations throughout history.