Constantinople is a musical ensemble that chose the journey—geographical certainly, but also historical, cultural and inner—as its cornerstone. It draws inspiration from all sources and aims for distant horizons. Under the artistic direction of Kiya Tabassian, Constantinople has created close to 50 new works, which have been presented in over 240 cities in 54 countries, resulting in 1,080 concerts, in addition to 19 recordings.
For Constantinople’s 20th anniversary, musical celebrations continue with two new concerts, in which Italy meets Istanbul and Spain meets Persia.
This exploration of different musical forms from around the world will take place at Salle Bourgie, at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Il Ponte di Leonardo
Constantinople & Marco Beasley (Italy)
- Saturday, March 19, 2022, Bourgie Hall
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and boldest bridge of the time, it was to span the Bosporus and thus link Europe and Asia. But it was never built; the plans, however, were preserved in the artist’s archives. Five centuries later, Tabassian re-imagines this bridge with the help of 16th- and 17th-century works from the manuscript archives of the national libraries of Istanbul and Florence.
This work will also be presented in Calgary on March 10 and in Toronto on March 18.
From Castille to Samarkand
Constantinople & Accademia Del Piacere (Spain)
- Saturday, April 9, 2022, Bourgie Hall
The great masters of the Spanish Renaissance created a golden age of polyphony. Into what was essentially Franco-Flemish music of the time they wove influences left by the Moors and by the Muslim cultures so present in medieval Spain.
In collaboration with Fahmi Alqhai, one of the great virtuosos of the viola da gamba, and his Accademia del Piacere, the leading ensemble of early Spanish music, Constantinople embarks on a musical journey through Iberia, Persia, and Central Asia, revisiting music notable for its sumptuous colour and exceptionally rich beauty.
This work will also be presented in Seville (Spain) on March 26, in Vancouver on April 1, in Victoria on April 3, in Toronto on April 8, and in Quebec City on April 10.
More information on the upcoming concerts:
- Il Ponte di Leonardo, March 19th – 8 P.M.
- From Castille to Samarkand, April 9th – 8 P.M.
- Bourgie Hall, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
- Tickets: $44 for the general public, $38 for museum members, $23 for those 34 and under
- Tickets for Il Ponte di Leonardo
- Tickets for De Castille à Samarkand