Francesco Mancini:
Concerto VIII c-Moll aus ‘24 Concerti di Napoli’

Domenico Sarro:
Begl’occhi del mio ben - Arie aus ‘La Partenope’
Concerto XI a-Moll aus ‘24 Concerti di Napoli’

Giuseppe Porsile:
Nel mio petto due tiranni - Arie aus ‘Il ritorno d’Ulisse’
Rezitativ und Arie aus ‘Cantata sopra L’Arcecalascione’

Nicola Fiorenza:
Concerto a-Moll
Concerto f-Moll - Mvt I, II, IV

Alessandro Scarlatti:
Mentr’io godo in dolce oblio - Arie aus ‘Il giardino di rose’
Rezitativ und Arie aus ‘Il giardino di rose’

Tarantella napoletana (alla festa musicale) (Traditional)

Storie di Napoli is la festa musicale’s third album for audite, presenting an innovative approach towards the varied and expressive Neapolitan baroque repertoire. Sensual arias and virtuoso concertos by composers such as Alessandro Scarlatti, Francesco Mancini and Nicola Fiorenza are collaged into a sonic-narrative telling Naples’ best stories from the baroque heyday of what was then Europe’s third-largest metropolis. These include an encounter with the seductive siren Parthenope who, according to mythology, founded the city; a visit to Naples’ multi-layered underworld with surprising twists and turns; and the exuberant atmosphere of typical Neapolitan street life, full of festivities and joie de vivre.

Together with the young and promising soprano Maria Ladurner and under the direction of the renowned recorder player Barbara Heindlmeier, who is known for innovative concepts, la festa musicale breaks new ground with this project. On occasion the movements of the concertos are broken up, weaving arias amongst them. This allows a new overarching plot line to be told, skilfully capturing the manifold facets of this fascinating city.

The North German baroque ensemble la festa musicale stands for excellent artistic standards, which are reflected in creative, cross-disciplinary concert formats and top-class co-operation projects. Alongside wellknown works, Storie di Napoli also features rarely-heard discoveries and a premiere recording of the aria “Nel mio petto” (from Il ritorno d’Ulisse) by Giuseppe Porsile. The richness of colour, the emotional density and the fast-moving contrasts of this repertoire are reflected by the ensemble using variable instrumentation as well as – entirely in keeping with the baroque art of ornamentation and improvisation – adding their own contributions, such as in the lively Tarantella napoletana alla festa musicale.

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Recording: January 16 - 18, 2021, Sendesaal Bremen.