Concert
Vesuvius delves into the world of nineteenth-century opera, where the latest popular melodies were sung by commoners in the streets and played on whatever instruments were around.
This unique concert explores the many publications which arranged these opera tunes for ensembles of mandolins and guitars.
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The concerts will be held at the Heliconian Hall –
35 Hazelton Ave, Toronto
Concerts begin at 8:00 (doors open at 7:30)
Regular tickets: $30
Children under 12 FREE when accompanied by an adult
The Vesuvius Ensemble’s mission is to contribute to the preservation and transmission of the enormous cultural legacy made up by the popular cultural traditions in the zone around Naples and southern Italy. This legacy includes the cultural and musical traditions of countryside peasants, whose rituals and songs been passed on orally and in writing over centuries and finally recorded and researched in the twentieth century by important scholars such as Roberto De Simone, Diego Carpitella, and Alan Lomax. The area’s cultural heritage also includes published material from professional Renaissance & Baroque composers working in urban settings who published in forms which imitated popular music or used texts in regional dialect (Falconieri, Kapsberger, Kirscher, Vinci, Provenzale, Leo, etc.).
The rustic instruments used (the tammorra, chitarra battente, ciaramella, colascione, etc.) combine with Baroque continuo instruments (chitarrone, Baroque & Renaissance guitars, lutes) to create a unique accompanimental soundscape.