About the Performance
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is famous for its fresh sound, with musicians playing on period instruments and pouring their passion into the music. The concert is led by Sir Roger Norrington, a leading authority in the performance of Haydn.
Although written a year apart these symphonies could not be more contrasting. La passione is infused with dark textures and a relentless energetic drive in the opening and final movements, while Maria Theresia has Haydn's characteristic verve and humour.
Scena di Berenice was composed to celebrate the virtuosity of the dramatic soprano Brigida Banti and offers a wonderful showcase for its soloist. Haydn's Trumpet Concerto was truly a ground breaking masterpiece at its premiere, written for a friend who had developed the first valved trumpet. It is a dazzling illustration of just how virtuosic this brightest of brass instruments can be.
Joyce DiDonato: 'a mezzo cast in milk chocolate, so smooth and agile that it can reach up to a diamond-bright soprano as well as sink to a rich, chesty alto... and always intelligently shaping the verse and text.' The Times
OAE: 'They are spreading the sweetness and light of period performance... Their brilliance and dedication attract the most distinguished conductors and soloists of the day.' The Sunday Times
