Cal Performances Presents the American Premiere of Alessandro Striggio's 16th-Century Mass in 40 & 60 Voices Saturday & Sunday, June 7 & 8 and the World Premiere of Le Poeme Harmonique's Venezia delle strade ai Palazzi Featuring the Music of Monteverdi & Manelli

Cal Performances Presents the American Premiere of Alessandro Striggio's 16th-Century Mass in 40 & 60 Voices Saturday & Sunday, June 7 & 8 and the World Premiere of Le Poeme Harmonique's Venezia delle strade ai Palazzi Featuring the Music of Monteverdi & Manelli

The Premieres are Part of the Berkeley Festival & Exhibit June 3 - 8

BERKELEY, Calif., May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American premiere of Alessandro Striggio's Missa sopra Ecco si beato giorno will be presented by Cal Performances as part of the ninth biennial Berkeley Festival & Exhibition of Early Music. It is the largest known contrapuntal choral work in Western music. Written under the auspices of 16th-century Medici court, the work was recently discovered in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France by UC Berkeley musicologist Davitt Moroney. Performances will be given Saturday, June 7 at 8 pm and Sunday, June 8 at 7 pm at First Congregational Church in Berkeley.

"Striggio's work is a masterpiece...not just the choral event of the year but possibly of the decade," wrote London's Guardian at the work's modern day premiere at the BBC Proms in 2007.

Moroney conducts the musical force, which will include His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts from the U.K.; Wim Becu (double-bass trombone) and five choirs: Magnificat; Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Choir; American Bach Soloists; Schola Cantorum San Francisco; and Perfect Fifth. This event is produced by Cal Performances in association with the UC Berkeley Department of Music.

Watch and listen to Davitt Moroney talk about the work.

http://cpinfo.berkeley.edu/information/print_video_program_notes/video_070 8.php

Since its inauguration in 1990, the Berkeley Festival & Exhibition has been regarded as one of the premier events of its kind, as early music performers, scholars, instrument makers, publishers and enthusiasts gather for a week of concerts, lectures, and master classes on and around the University of California, Berkeley campus. The Festival is also highlighted by the world premiere of Le Poeme Harmonique's Venezia delle strade ai Palazzi, evoking the spirit of the Golden Age of Venice through the music of Claudio Monteverdi and Francesco Manelli. Founded by Vincent Dumestre, Le Poeme Harmonique's new production is a theatrical event with special lighting, costumes and Baroque gestures. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday, June 4 and 5 at 8:00 p.m. at Zellerbach Playhouse on UC Berkeley campus.

For further information go to http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents/

For press information, contact Christina Kellogg at ckellogg@calperfs.berkeley.edu or call 510.643.6714 or Joe Yang at scyang@calperfs.berkeley.edu.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Cal Performances

CONTACT: Christina Kellogg, +1-510-643-6714,
ckellogg@calperfs.berkeley.edu or Joe Yang, scyang@calperfs.berkeley.edu, both
of Cal Performances

Web Site:

http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/

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