Season 24-25

The Barocchisti and the Swiss Radio and Television Choir will participate in the 2025 edition of the Leipzig Bachfest, the largest international meeting on the Kantor Johann Sebastian Bach, this year dedicated to the theme of “Transformation”. Two appointments are scheduled: on 19 June at 5 p.m. at the Evangelisch Reformierte Kirche the Original Concert versus Parody with G. B. Pergolesi's “Stabat mater” compared with J. S. Bach's Cantata “BWV 1083 Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden” with performers Michela Antenucci (soprano), Lucia Cirillo (mezzo-soprano), Lydia Teuscher (soprano) and Margot Oitzinger (alto). On Friday 20 June at 8:00 pm in the Nikolaikirche, the cantatas that Bach composed for the Dominica Estomihi or Quinquagesima, i.e. the fiftieth day before Easter, are scheduled: “Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe” (BWV 22), “Du wahrer Gott und Davids Sohn” (BWV 23) from 1723, “Herr Jesu Christ, wahr'r Mensch und Gott” (BWV 127) from 1725 and “Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem” (BWV 159) from 1729, performed by Lydia Teuscher (soprano), Margot Oitzinger (alto), Bernhard Berchtold (tenor) and Henryk Böhm (bass).

We are delighted to present an exceptional appointment with the participation of I Barocchisti and the Swiss Radio and Television Choir, conducted by Diego Fasolis as a preview of the prestigious Leipzig Bach Festival, the largest international gathering on Kantor Johann Sebastian Bach, this year dedicated to ‘Transformation’. Conducted by Diego Fasolis, the Swiss Radio and Television Choir, I Barocchisti and soloists Betty Makharinsky (soprano), Margot Oitzinger (alto), Bernhard Berchtold (tenor) and Henryk Böhm (bass) will present four Bach cantatas for Dominica Estomihi (Cantatas BWV 22, 23, 127, 159 ) as a Ticino preview of the concerts they will perform at the prestigious ‘Bachfest’ in Leipzig (19 and 20 June 2025). Deeply affected by the catastrophe in Blatten, the concert will support the fundraising efforts for the population of the valley.

In the splendid setting of the Church of Santa Maria in Calanca, the Coro RSI (in the formation of the Madrigalisti della RSI) and I Barocchisti directed by Diego Fasolis, will perform a selection of profane madrigals by Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) which, through the practice of contrafactum, have been adapted with sacred texts, keeping intact the expressive power of the original music. This ancient technique of textual rewriting - widespread in the Renaissance and early Baroque - allows us to rediscover well-known masterpieces in a new spiritual light, offering an intense and surprising listening experience. Free entry with responsible donation.

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A highly anticipated event will take place on Friday, 18 April 2025 at the Chiesa della Collegiata in Bellinzona, with the traditional Good Friday Spiritual Concert.
The Orchestra della Svizzera italiana and the Coro della Radiotelevisione svizzera, under the baton of Alessandro Bonato, will perform the exquisite Requiem for soloists, choir, and orchestra by Domenico Cimarosa—one of the masterpieces of sacred music. The performance will feature soloists Laura Lolita Perešivana (soprano), Dilan Şaka (mezzo-soprano), Aldo Sartori (tenor), and Chao Liu (baritone), all distinguished artists from the Advanced Training Academy for Opera Singers of the Teatro alla Scala.

Music by J.S. Bach, F. Couperin, G. Frescobaldi, D. Scarlatti, G. F. Händel. Conversation with Musicologist Giuseppe Clericetti.
The evening will feature the distinguished harpsichordist Francesco Cera, who will present an elaborate and refined programme including works by Johann Sebastian Bach, François Couperin, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Domenico Scarlatti, and Georg Friedrich Händel. By evoking the intimate space in which Bach composed, the recital offers a journey through the musical influences that shaped his genius—composers he studied and revered, each representing different stylistic currents and united by a shared pursuit of expressive perfection. The concert will be preceded by an introductory dialogue between Francesco Cera and the musicologist Giuseppe Clericetti.

This concert follows the one devoted to the Sixth Book of Madrigals, in which Monteverdi affixes a definitive seal to the tradition of polyphonic a cappella madrigal.
It explores the evolution of the “seconda pratica” – a new expressive approach that emerged between the 17th and 18th centuries, aiming to move and enlighten audiences through the music of the “affections,” featuring solo arias with orchestral accompaniment and basso continuo. Entitled the “Concert of Affections,” this performance resonates not only musically but also personally with Diego Fasolis and I Barocchisti. It presents works that, over many years of dedication, have stirred both performers and audiences in sacred spaces and concert halls alike, evoking memories that are at once tender and poignant. The program journeys from the Toccata from L’Orfeo to the renowned duet from L’Incoronazione di Poppea, interwoven with celebrated masterpieces by three other eminent composers: Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Händel, and Antonio Vivaldi. Under the baton of Diego Fasolis, the ensemble I Barocchisti will be joined on stage by sopranos Michela Antenucci and Betty Makharinsky, countertenor Jonathan Darbourne, and baritone Enrico Di Geronimo.

Conducted by Diego Fasolis, this first concert of 2025 features the Madrigalisti della Radiotelevisione svizzera (a specialised ensemble of the Choir) and I Barocchisti, in a programme that ranges from the five-voice madrigals from the ‘Sesto Libro de’ Madrigali' by Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) to a selection from the “Affetti musicali” by Biagio Marini (1594-1663).

This second benefit concert, in support of the communities most directly impacted by the recent flooding, follows the initial performance held on Friday, 29 November in Roveredo.
Spearheaded by the Associazione I Barocchisti, these concerts are conceived as a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the two flood-affected valleys. Their emotional resonance is further deepened by the participation of two local male choirs—Coro delle Rocce (Cevio – Vallemaggia) and Coro la Vos di Nos Sit (Mesocco – Mesolcina)—who will perform a programme devoted to the musical traditions of the Alpine regions. Admission is free of charge. A fundraising initiative will be held in conjunction with the concerts, and all proceeds will be donated in full to reconstruction funds supporting the restoration of the affected territories.

I Barocchisti and the Coro RSI return to the stage of the LAC under the esteemed direction of Diego Fasolis, presenting an evening entirely devoted to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. They will be joined by renowned bass Klaus Mertens, one of the foremost interpreters of the Kantor.
The programme features the Overture from the Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major and the Concerto for Oboe, Violin, Strings, and Basso Continuo in C minor. At the heart of the concert are three cantatas—BWV 56, BWV 82, and BWV 158—which form part of a broader artistic initiative undertaken by I Barocchisti and the Coro RSI to present a complete performance cycle of Bach’s cantatas in Southern Switzerland.

Two benefit concerts of profound emotional resonance will be held in support of the communities directly impacted by the recent flooding: the first in Roveredo, followed by a second performance on Sunday, 1 December at 4:00 PM in Cavergno, located in the Alta Vallemaggia.
Promoted with great conviction by the Associazione I Barocchisti as a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the two flood-affected valleys, these concerts will be further enriched by the participation of two local male choirs performing a repertoire drawn from the mountain tradition: the Coro delle Rocce (Cevio – Vallemaggia) and the Coro la Vos di Nos Sit (Mesocco – Mesolcina). Admission to both events is free of charge. A fundraising initiative will accompany the performances, with all proceeds to be entirely allocated to the reconstruction funds dedicated to restoring the affected territories.

Love, Reason, Illusion, Intellect
The early seventeenth century represents a period of exceptional refinement in the history of vocal music. This era witnessed the culmination of the polyphonic madrigal tradition at its most expressive, while simultaneously ushering in the revolutionary emergence of the “seconda pratica”—a new aesthetic that placed the solo voice at the heart of musical discourse. From the ethereal sonorities of multi-voiced composition to the dramatic expression of emotional “affetti”, this transition marked a profound evolution in style and sensibility. The programme presented here juxtaposes these two coexisting dimensions, offering the listener a captivating journey through a landscape of contrasts—light and shadow, restraint and passion, complexity and clarity.

The opening concert of the Teatro Dal Verme’s 80th anniversary season is presented in Lugano.
This concert offers a rare opportunity to experience in concert form Le Willis, the opera that brought Giacomo Puccini to international prominence. Although seldom performed in its original version, the work is widely regarded as one of the composer’s early masterpieces. The programme opens with César Franck’s Prière, presented in an orchestration by Ticinese composer Fabio Arnaboldi, and dedicated to the memory of Adriana Fasolis. This tribute evokes Puccini’s early association with the organ and his affinity for French symphonic aesthetics—elements that subtly inform the stylistic fabric of his youthful works.

The opening concert of the Teatro Dal Verme’s 80th anniversary season also serves to commemorate two additional significant milestones: the centenary of the composer’s death and the 140th anniversary of the opera’s premiere, which was first performed in this very historic Milanese theatre. This concert offers a rare opportunity to experience in concert form Le Willis, the opera that brought Giacomo Puccini to international prominence. Although seldom performed in its original version, the work is widely regarded as one of the composer’s early masterpieces. The programme opens with César Franck’s Prière, presented in an orchestration by Ticinese composer Fabio Arnaboldi, and dedicated to the memory of Adriana Fasolis. This tribute evokes Puccini’s early association with the organ and his affinity for French symphonic aesthetics—elements that subtly inform the stylistic fabric of his youthful works.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the organ at the Church of San Nicolao della Flüe, an evening will be dedicated to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, featuring the esteemed Diego Fasolis and renowned soprano Lucia Cirillo.
The organ, designed and built in 1984 by the distinguished Mascioni firm of Cuvio (Varese), was inaugurated on 23 September of the same year with a blessing and a recital by the celebrated Italian organist Arturo Sacchetti.

The concert forms part of the Serviti Concert Season and will feature the world premiere of the Stabat Mater, commissioned by the Department of Culture, Events and Sports of the City of Mendrisio and the Historic Processions Foundation, from Ticinese composer Ivo Antognini, recipient of the 2024 Swiss Music Prize and an internationally acclaimed figure in the field of choral music.
This newly composed work serves as a contemporary homage to the musical heritage of the Historic Processions of Mendrisio, marking the first occasion on which the Processions will be accompanied by a hymn expressly composed for them. The programme will be further enriched by a tribute to Claudio Monteverdi, with a performance of the Litanies of the Blessed Virgin.