Montreal music lovers were in for a real treat tonight as the highly anticipated concert “Chaconne and Chocolate: Italian Delights” was performed by Les Idées heureuses at Montreal’s Bourgie Hall (featured below:)
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After a successful first edition, which garnered a nomination for the Prix Opus award, this year’s concert promised to immerse audiences in the enchanting world of the chaconne, a popular dance form that originated in Spain and which gained prominence in Italy during the 17th century.
The chaconne is known for its lively and rhythmic dance style, it features a repeating harmonic pattern in the bass line that allows for improvisation and variation in the melody and other instrumental parts.
Composers such as Monteverdi, Bach, and Händel wrote chaconnes that were often used as musical interludes or finales in theatrical productions. The Italian 16th century chaconne was a significant part of the Renaissance musical repertoire and remains an important part of classical music history.
The chaconne also features a bass motif that is continuously repeated throughout the work in an almost hypnotic way, on which one or more voices can flourish, discourse, or improvise.
Dorothéa Ventura, soprano, harpsichord and musical direction
Ariadne Lih, soprano
Janelle Lucyk, soprano
Kerry Bursey, tenor and archlute
Tanya LaPerrière, violin
Vincent Lauzer, flute
Camille Paquette-Roy, cello
Antoine Malette-Chénier, triple harp
Matthias Soly-Letarte, percussion
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Tonight’s concert featured a series of vocal and instrumental chaconnes by Italian composers of the 17th century, all performed by nine talented musicians who are well-versed in this musical style.
Dorothéa Ventura, talented musician, performer and associate musical director of Les Idées Heureuses , led the concert with her exceptional musical skills and stage presence.
The performers showcased their overflowing creativity and virtuosity through laments, improvisations, and lively rhythms, drawing on themes such as shared / betrayed love, happiness / despair, loyalty / betrayal and life or death.
The one and a half hour concert provided ample time for audiences to immerse themselves in the captivating world of Italian music and was an enchanting experience for any music enthusiast wishing to explore the rich musical heritage of Italy.
The concert’s title also pays tribute to the delectable chocolate treats that were distributed to the audience.
As the chaconne is known to be rather pleasurable and addictive in nature, sweet Lindt chocolates were happily offered to the audience at the end of the concert to extend the delightful experience.
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On the PROGRAM:
Ciaccona for violin by Antonio Bertali (1605-1669)
Lumi, potete piangere by Giovanni Legrenzi (1626-1690)
Che si può fare by Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677)
Voglio di vita uscir by Benedetto Ferrari (1603-1681)
Lamento della Ninfa, Zefiro torna, Ohimè che cado and Pur ti miro, by Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Angela siete, o come lieto ascolto by Cherubino Busatti (1600-1644)
Ciaccona et Or ch’è tempo di dormire by Tarquino Merula (1595-1665)
Vieni’in questo seno by Francesco Cavalli (1602-1776)
Passacalle a tre by Andrea Falconiero (1585-1656)
Partite sopra diverse sonate per il violone by Giovanni Battista Vitali (1632-1692)
Diverse bizzarie Sopra la Vecchia Sarabanda o pur Ciaccona by Nicola Matteis (c. 1650-1700)
Passacalli della vita by Stefano Landi (1586-1639)
Tarantella by Lucas Ruiz de Ribayas (1626-1667)
Così mi disprezzate by Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643).
To learn more about Les Idées heureuses ‘ upcoming performances , please visit : HERE
* Cover photo by Monica Wong