Baroque Meets the Middle East

Festival Glasperlenspiel
Sat, July 6th at 7 pm St. John’s church (Jaani kirik), Tartu
BAROQUE MEETS THE MIDDLE EAST
Avventura Barocca (Switzerland), Maya Amir (mezzo-soprano, artistic director, Israel), featuring Andres Mustonen
Strozzi, Monteverdi, anonymous, Sartori, traditional, Lully, Itri, Ali Ufkî Bey, Wahab, Corelli

A joint concert by Swiss ensemble Avventura Barocca and Israeli singer Maya Amir will bring together music that seems distant and different only at first glance. The Mediterranean and Levant regions have historically served as vibrant intersections of diverse cultures, fostering an exquisite fusion of musical styles. Avventura Barocca’s concert delves into the depths of these influences, performing a repertoire that represents the rich musical traditions of European Baroque style and Oriental traditions. The musical journey on offer makes stops in Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey and Israel, featuring each composition as a gateway to the lively tapestry of sounds originating from these regions and showing a harmonious amalgamation of diverse cultural legacies. Avventura Barocca is a Baroque collective founded by Maya Amir, and consists of specialists of historically informed performance who all have graduated prestigious Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. Born in different countries across the world, each member adds to the ensemble a genuine flavour.

Mezzo-soprano Maya Amir is a graduate of Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, HMT Leipzig and the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music of Tel Aviv University. In addition, she has studied with Andreas Scholl, John Norris, Berthold Schmid, Abbie Furmansky, Hans Pieter Hermann, Peter Berne, Claude Webster and Margreet Honig. In 2018, Amir won third prize at Froville International Baroque Singing Competition and Silver Prize of Manhattan International Music Competition. She has collaborated with ensembles such as Barrocade Ensemble, Kölner Akademie, Hortus Musicus and Ensemble La Phoenix Basel. Amir specialises in historically informed performance of baroque operas from the 17th and 18th centuries – her subject of passion. As a recitalist, she also integrates original compositions in her native tongue Hebrew as well as various world music. Her operatic roles include Cherubino (Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro), Aminta (Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade), Piacere (Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno) and Ricardo (Scarlatti’s Il Trionfo dell’Onore). Amir has recently released her live album Night on the Waters, which presents Mediterranean compositions influenced by classical Spanish and Arabic music, composed by her mother and herself. 

Avventura Barocca is a Baroque collective of enthusiastic musicians, specialists of historically informed performance, founded by mezzosoprano Maya Amir. The ensemble’s members – all Graduates of Schola Cantorum Basiliensis – perform virtuoso works of the High and Early Baroque, always in colourful constellations around Amir’s unique vocal colours. Born in different countries such as Spain, Israel, Germany, Turkey, Mexico and Cuba, each member adds to the ensemble a genuine flavour. The members of today’s ensemble are Maya Amir, (mezzo-soprano and artistic director), Andres Mustonen (violin, guest), Darina Ablogina (historical flutes), Sara Hasti (kamancheh), Christian Velasco Vázquez (theorbo and baroque guitar), Beatriz Lopez Paz (viola da gamba), Carolin Margraf (double harp), Joan Boronat Sanz (harpsichord) and Murat Coşkun (oriental percussion).

Organizers:
Peeter Vähi – artistic director
Tiina Jokinen – executive director
Kadri Kiis – producer, accountant
Meeta Morozov – musicologist, editor of festival booklet
AI – design
Olavi Sööt – co-producer, video, logistics
Reno Hekkonens – marketing director, PR
Johannes Vähi – co-producer, webmaster, sound engineering, logistics
Marje Hansar – social media

Special thanks: Tartu City Government, Urmas Klaas, Triin Käpp, Jana Raud, Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Canon and Overall, Toyota, St John’s church, Kristo Käo, Kaupo Kiis, Kristel Leppik, Anne-Liise Kiis, volunteers