Filippo Finazzi, an Italian castrato in Hamburg
Exactly 250 years ago, on 22 April 1776, the Italian castrato Filippo Finazzi—singer, composer, and former cavalry captain—died near Hamburg. Thirty years earlier, he had taken his leave from the Hamburg stage in an opera of his own making. To pay tribute to him, the Hamburger Ratsmusik is bringing several previously unheard symphonies and cantatas by this singular figure of 18th-century European opera back to life.
In the 16th century, the harpsichord of the Emperor of China
From Spain’s Golden Age to China’s Forbidden City, El clave del Emperador retraces the singular destiny of Diego de Pantoja, a Jesuit, musician, and mediator between two worlds. With Íliber Ensemble and Todos los Tonos y Ayres, the recording brings together harpsichord, Chinese instruments, and learned traditions to transform historical inquiry into a true sonic journey.
Explore the island and meet the partners of Total Baroque
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Under the direction of Leonardo García Alarcón, Cappella Mediterranea brings to the Opéra de Paris Ercole amante by Antonia Bembo, from May 28 to June 14. A Venetian-born composer exiled to the court of Louis XIV. This 1707 opera, never before staged in Europe, finally enters the Parisian repertoire.
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The Bachwochen Thun celebrate Johann Sebastian Bach in the heart of the Berner Oberland from August 16 to September 6: a living festival where tradition and the present meet. International artists, local roots, and innovative projects connect 300 years of musical heritage with our time.
Presto
News of the week
- 18-21 June, Montréal Baroque Festival The 24th edition of the Montréal Baroque Festival invites you – in a highly original way – to experience music differently, with some twenty events taking place in Old Montréal and the Quartier des Spectacles. From 18 to 21 June, the Festival presents a programme in which works from the 17th and 18th centuries appeal […]
- The Innsbruck Early Music Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. The Innsbruck Early Music Festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary from 24 July to 30 August 2026. The highlight of this edition will be the baroque opera par excellence: Pietro Antonio Cesti’s Il pomo d’oro, a legendary composition by the great composer of the Innsbruck court. Under the musical direction of Ottavio Dantones, Il pomo […]
- Freiburg Baroque Orchestra to have a new management team From July 2026, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra (FBO) will have a new management team: Selma Brauns will take over as Artistic Director, and Paul Enke as Commercial Director. Together, they will form the ensemble’s new dual leadership. Hans-Georg Kaiser, the outgoing Managing Director and Artistic Director, will remain with the FBO in a new role […]
- Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, founder of the Tölzer Knabenchor , has died Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, founder and, for six decades (until 2016), director of the world-famous Tölzer Knabenchor, passed away peacefully at his home in Benediktbeuern on, 19 April, at the age of 88, following a prolonged illness. Schmidt-Gaden, who had founded the choir from a scout group, had already taken an interest in historical performance practice in […]
- The Venice Music Project’s 2026 Spring Season The Venice Music Project’s 2026 spring concert season unfolds around three key themes: Affetti, teatro, Meraviglia, a journey through vocal music from the 17th to the early 18th century More than just a title, these concepts offer a listening perspective that spans much of European musical culture from the 17th to the 18th century. In Baroque musical […]
- 21 March, International Early Music Day 21 March 2026 marks the 14th edition of International Early Music Day. This day is a project of the European Early Music Network (REMA/EEMN), launched in 2013 on the initiative of its former president, Peter Pontvik of Sweden. REMA/EEMN, the only representative network for early music in Europe, is the official organiser and coordinator of […]
- 7 to 21 June – the 43rd Monteverdi Festival in Cremona (Italy) Poppea, Teti, Didone and Teodora are the four female protagonists of the operas that will be performed at the 43rd Monteverdi Festival in Cremona, entitled ‘Cantami, o Diva!’ which will take place from 7 to 21 June 2026. For two intense weeks, the Lombard city, famous both for being the birthplace of the ‘divine Claudio’ […]
- February 20-26: Vote for the 2nd Early Music TV Award Early Music Television (EMTV), the streaming platform created by the team behind the Oude Muziek Utrecht Festival, is organizing the 2nd edition of the EMTV Awards from February 20 to 26! Voting is open to everyone, and early music lovers can vote for their favorite concert recording from among the more than 450 titles in […]
Traetta: “Ifigenia in Tauride”
We all know “Iphigenia in Tauris” by Gluck; here is the rarer setting by Tommaso Traetta, brought to disc by Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques. Recorded in Innsbruck, this release brings to light a different musical reading of the myth, poised between the legacy of opera seria and emerging dramatic priorities, and carried by a committed vocal cast. A discovery.
La Passione di Gesù
With “La Passione di Gesù”, Leonardo García-Alarcón signs his first major oratorio published under his own name. Inspired by Borges, Bach, Pasolini and the Gospel of Judas, the work creates a spiritual and musical labyrinth in which Judas, Mary Magdalene and the risen Christ become the figures of an inner Passion.
Reines
With “Reines”, Véronique Gens and the ensemble Les Surprises offer a journey through French opera, from Lully to the late eighteenth century. Between figures of power and wounded heroines, the programme unfolds a true dramaturgy, shaped by a collective approach and a keen sense of musical theatre.
“Tranquilles cœurs”
On this debut album, the Théodora ensemble takes listeners on a journey through France and the German-speaking world, from Lully and Campra to the Krieger brothers, where styles intersect and transform. Carried by a distinctive vocal palette and a finely articulated continuo, the recording highlights the variety of compositional approaches and characters.
Our series
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Countertenors: the South American pathway There are several of them, from different generations—Franco Fagioli, Bruno de Sá, Maximiliano Danta, Dennis Orellana and Samuel Mariño—all originating from South America and now pursuing careers on European stages. How and why did they cross the oceans?
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Baroque Masters Baroque Masters paints a portrait of legendary figures who shaped the interpretation of early music. From visionary violinist Reinhard Goebel, who moved from Baroque research to modern orchestras, to pioneering conductor Andrew Parrott, advocate of a lively and rigorous approach, each episode explores a common quest: to rediscover the profound meaning of phrasing and the original spirit of the works. Lutenist Hopkinson Smith, a master of transmission, rubs shoulders with the great “baroque musicians” of the 20th century, such as Sigiswald Kuijken, whose commitment to historically informed performance has influenced generations of artists. A series dedicated to the passionate craftsmen who have breathed new life and authenticity into the Baroque.
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A sopranist physician's diary (1 to 3) Philipp Mathmann, soprano and countertenor, performs on the world's greatest opera and concert stages, while also pursuing an equally demanding career as a physician. Here, he offers a deeply personal account of his daily life.
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Lucile Richardot’s Diary (1 to 3) During the summer of 2025, at the Salzburg Festival, French mezzo-soprano Lucile Richardot recounts her experiences behind the scenes of Handel's Giulio Cesare, in which she played Cornelia in a production directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov and conducted by Emmanuelle Haïm. Between cargo bike rides, persistent rain, marathon rehearsals, fights on stage, bruises on her body, stress before the dress rehearsal, and a lost contact lens, she delivers the diary of an intense and unique artistic adventure, divided between rehearsals, stage performances, and moments of everyday life.
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The Diary of Julie Roset (1 to 3) At 28 years old, young French soprano Julie Roset is making her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York… She tells us about her daily life and behind the scenes at the MET, from October 6 to November 7, 2025.
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Musical Europe of the Renaissance (1 to 4) Belgian musicologist Jérôme Lejeune, director of the Ricercar label, invites you to rediscover in this four-part series the musical ferment of Renaissance Europe, at the crossroads of circulating ideas, aesthetic upheavals, and great personalities.
