Aminta e Fillide

This year, for the first time, the Göttingen International Handel Festival takes place under the artistic direction of Greek native George Petrou and there couldn’t be a better opening than with the FestspielOrchester Göttingen under his baton. The program includes four of George Frideric Handel’s first Concerti grossi op. 3 (HWV 312–317), to be rounded off by numbers 3 and 6 at the Festival’s Gala concert. In addition, the Brazilian newcomer soprano Bruno de Sá and the Greek soprano Myrsini Margariti, who is already well-known in Göttingen, will perform the Cantata Aminta e Fillide (HWV 83).

Not only does this promising internationally renowned cast with the rare opportunity to experience a female and male soprano in one evening add to the festivity of the opening concert, but also the chosen compositions, which could not be more fitting: similar to this year’s Festival motto, New Horizons, a completely “new world” must have opened up for the 21-year-old Handel during his stay in Italy (1705/6~1710) through countless musical impressions, encounters and possibilities. Thanks to patrons such as Cardinals Francesco Maria Marescotti Ruspoli and Benedetto Pamphili, Handel enjoyed years marked by success with far-reaching impact on his later work. It is unknown exactly when the Concerti grossi, published by John Walsh in London in 1734 and performed at the Kings Theatre, were written.

However, in addition to French and German stylistic elements, influences from Italian culture are clearly audible. The impassioned music for the mythical fabric of Aminta e Fillide was, however, evidently composed by “Il Sassone” in Italy, where it was to be performed – even back then on the occasion of a grand artistic adunanza generale (gathering) – to mark Ruspoli’s appointment as padrone of the Accademia degli Arcadi in Rome (an association of scholars founded in 1690).

Programme:

Georg Friedrich Händel: Concerto Nr. 1 B-Dur (HWV 312)
Georg Friedrich Händel: Concerto Nr. 4 F-Dur (HWV 315)
Georg Friedrich Händel: Concerto Nr. 2 B-Dur (HWV 313)
Georg Friedrich Händel: Concerto Nr. 5 d-Moll (HWV 316)

Intermission

Georg Friedrich Händel: Aminta e Fillide: Arresta il passo (HWV 83)