Recital: Italian Opera in the Age of the American Revolution

From figures like Antonio Vivaldi and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi—who cemented the Italianate baroque style—to Georg Frideric Handel and Thomas Arne—who adopted these sensibilities for English-speaking audiences in London—Italian opera was at the height of its power in the late 1700s. This musical form marked a shift in taste: from monarchical sway to public control. The ensemble will also present lesser-known works by Christoph Willibald Gluck, Nicola Porpora, and Pietro Alessandro Guglielmi, whose La quakera spiritosa (“The Spirited Quaker”) details a young American girl’s rebellion against her father.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

Split the Lark is a Baroque ensemble led by singers Sarah Fleiss and Morgan Mastrangelo. Along with a rotating cast of instrumentalists, Split the Lark seeks to codify an aesthetic practice of musicking that is not limited to the conditions of the initial performance. Drawing from cumulative soundings of this repertoire throughout history, both historical and speculative, Split the Lark takes vocal inspiration from bravura singers of the 19th century, up to and including the early stars of the recording era. Baroque theorists and writers upheld the channeling of “les affets” (the “affectations”) as the greatest aim in music. Split the Lark believes that theatrical declamation—the ability to be heard clearly and without strain from all parts of a room—is the most potent tool to spark affectation across ensemble and audience.mous books.

See our website for more details.

Registration does not guarantee a seat. Check-in for registrants begins 30 minutes before the event. (Any open spots are offered to the stand-by line 10 minutes before the event).
This event is in-person only; there will be no video recording for publication.

Websites for learning more about the performers:
splitthelark.co
www.sarahfleiss.com
www.morganmastrangelo.com