Monteverdi’s Vespers in Salzburg: mysticism, might and musical mastery

Gianluca Capuano conducts Il Canto di Orfeo and Les Musiciens du Prince

By Laura Servidei, 08 June 2025

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“three male voices trading embellishments like bel canto prima donnas”

Reviewed at Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg: Großer Saal, Salzburg on 7 June 2025

Mantovani, Venezianischer Morgen

Monteverdi, Vespro della Beata Vergine "Vespers of the Blessed Virgin" (1610)

Gianluca Capuano, Conductor

Il Canto di Orfeo

Jacopo Facchini, Choirmaster / chorus director

Les Musiciens du Prince – Monaco

A soul-stirring Orfeo ed Euridice as Bartoli commands Cremona’s stage

Laura Servidei, 11th June

Cecilia Bartoli and Gianluca Capuano lead a superb performance of Orfeo ed Euridice, in semi-staged form, as a prologue to the Monteverdi Festival in Cremona.

*****

Hotel Metamorphosis: Vivaldi reborn through Ovid's lens in Salzburg

Laura Servidei, 8th June

A pasticcio of superb musicianship is the main event at the Venice-themed Whitsun Festival.

****1

Emotional Mozart at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival

Laura Servidei, 19th May

Gianluca Capuano leads a great ensemble in a thoughtful, emotional reading of Mozart’s Mass in C minor.

****1

Monteverdi’s Orfeo as an enchanting marionette show in Salzburg

Laura Servidei, 28th May

Gianluca Capuano leads Les Musiciens du Prince, Il Canto di Orfeo and a superb cast of Italian early music specialists in a wonderful rendition of Monteverdi’s masterpiece.

****1

A Haydn rarity: L’anima del filosofo at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival

Laura Servidei, 27th May

The festival presents an illuminist take on the myth of Orpheus in a convincing concert performance of a rarely performed opera by Haydn.

****1

A superb Orfeo ed Euridice opens the Salzburg Whitsun Festival

Laura Servidei, 26th May

Gianluca Capuano and Les Musiciens du Prince open the Pfingstfestspiele with a bang in a profound interpretation of Gluck’s masterpiece, where Cecilia Bartoli shines in her debut as Orfeo.

*****

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Laura Servidei

Mathematician, science nerd, translator of popular science books, obsessed opera fan since the teen years. Day job: business analyst in a software house developing systems for the financial industry. Amateur choral singer. Main musical interests: baroque music and Italian opera. Originally from Italy, currently based in Sweden. I make a mean eggplant parmesan.