Gesualdo, Bach, Vivaldi: from Houston to Munich, Stuttgart to Lyon, and two competitions in Italy

The Gesualdo Six on tour in America

The Gesualdo Six have sent a postcard… from Houston’s Space Center! A Texan stop on their twelve-concert US tour. After three performances in the Northeast (Cold Spring Harbor and New York City), the ensemble travelled through Memphis, Houston, Austin and Dallas, before heading to Cleveland, Phoenix and Philadelphia. Their programme combined Motets & Madrigals by Palestrina and Gesualdo with works from their album Lux Aeterna, featuring music by Tallis, Gesualdo, Joanna Marsh, Richard Rodney Bennett, Taverner and Morales.

With The Gesualdo Six and Owain Park.

Vivaldi – Divina Stella at La Trinité, Lyon

Vivaldi – Divina Stella, a programme exploring light and shadow in the composer’s sacred works, opened the new baroque season at Lyon’s Chapelle de la Trinité. The sold-out concert was given by Le Concert de l’Hostel Dieu, with mezzo-soprano Blandine de Sansal.

With Blandine de Sansal, the Concert de l’Hostel Dieu and Franck-Emmanuel Comte.

Winners of the Cavalli–Monteverdi Competition in Cremona

The second edition of the 2025 Cavalli–Monteverdi Competition in Cremona has revealed its winners. Among 68 selected candidates and 12 finalists, three singers were awarded prizes:

• Valentina Ferraree, mezzo-soprano (Italy) – Premio España and First Prize
• Sarah Hayashi, soprano (Japan–France–USA) – Lira de Orfeo Prize and Third Prize
• Mara Gaudenzi, mezzo-soprano (Italy) – Second Prize

The jury’s decision will be confirmed after consultation with the musical and stage directors of the two operas planned for the next season. Jury members included Eva-Maria Sens (Innsbruck Festival of Early Music), Peter Heilker (Theater an der Wien), Antonio Greco (Monteverdi Festival 2026), Michael Chance (The Grange Festival), Paul Agnew (Les Arts Florissants / Monteverdi Festival 2026) and Lorenzo Del Pecchia (Teatro Lirico di Cagliari).

With Valentina Ferraree, Sarah Hayashi, Mara Gaudenzi, the international jury of the Cavalli–Monteverdi Competition.

Season opening at Stuttgart’s Bach Akademie

“Pure Bach”: a programme of motets by the Cantor, including five masterpieces for double choir, opened the new season of the Gaechinger Cantorey under Hans-Christoph Rademann. Performed in a full Beethoven Hall and supported by more than 1,000 season subscribers, the concert also marked the release of the eighth volume in The First Cantata Year series on Hänssler Classic — featuring works composed by Bach between February and April 1724 for the Annunciation and the two Easter festivals.

With the Gaechinger Cantorey and Hans-Christoph Rademann.

Munich Bachfest celebrates its 100th anniversary

The 2025 Bachfest München celebrated its centenary with an evening of four cantatas and a concerto for three violins by J. S. Bach. The occasion paid tribute to Munich’s long-standing Bach tradition — a legacy strengthened by Karl Richter, which established the city as an international centre for the Cantor’s music. The programme featured Elisabeth Breuer (soprano), Benno Schachtner (countertenor), Patrick Grahl (tenor) and Tobias Berndt (bass), together with violinists Péter Barczi, Éva Borhi and Hannah Visser, the Windsbacher Knabenchor and the Freiburger Barockorchester conducted by Ludwig Böhme.

With Elisabeth Breuer, Benno Schachtner, Patrick Grahl, Tobias Berndt, Péter Barczi, Éva Borhi, Hannah Visser, the Freiburger Barockorchester, the Windsbacher Knabenchor and Ludwig Böhme.

Il Parrasio wins the Legrenzi Competition at the Musica Mirabilis Festival (Italy)

The ensemble Il Parrasio — set to join the EEEmerging+ programme in 2026 — won both First Prize (unanimously, under the presidency of Christophe Rousset) and the Audience Prize at the inaugural Giovanni Legrenzi International Competition, held during the Musica Mirabilis Festival in Clusone, Italy. Formed by Eriko Nagayama, Ajda Porenta, Luka Stefanović and Alessandro Papa, all graduates of the Royal Conservatoire The Hague’s Early Music Department and hailing from Slovenia, Italy, Japan and the USA, the ensemble will return to perform at the 2026 edition of the Festival.

With Il Parrasio.