“Intesa”, Italian for “understanding” or “a meeting of minds”, encapsulates the ethos of this duo formed in 2023 at the Royal Academy of Music by bass viol players Lucine Musaelian and Nathan Giorgetti, who combine European and Armenian traditions, folk and early music. Inspired by the Mekhitarist monastery founded in 1717 on San Lazzaro degli Armeni, a small island in the Venetian Lagoon, where ancient texts and chants have been preserved, their recital will feature Armenian works over a thousand years old, and pieces from Renaissance Italy, including songs by three female pioneers, Barbara Strozzi and the Caccini sisters, Francesca and Settimia.
Nerses Shnorhali (1102–1173) – Aravot luso
Orlando di Lasso (1532–1594) – Susanne un jour
Settimia Caccini (1591–1638) – Due luci ridenti
Armenian traditional – Keler Tsoler
Grigor Narekatsi (c. 950–1007) – Havoon havoon
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643) – Si dolce è 'l tormento
Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677) – Che si può fare
Armenian traditional – Hov Arek
Komitas Vardapet (1869–1935) – Soorp Soorp
Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677) – Silentio nocivo
Francesca Caccini (1587–c.1640) – Maria, dolce Maria
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643) – Lamento della ninfa
Tarquinio Merula (1595–1665) – Folle è ben che si crede
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