Mozart & Rossini at St Mark's Anglican Church
Florence, St Mark's Anglican Church — Main Hall
About the Event
Experience the majestic St Mark's Anglican Church in Florence as it sets the stage for a captivating concert designed to deepen your appreciation of opera. Two exceptional soloists will perform aria duets from esteemed opera composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gioacchino Rossini at this remarkable venue.
Rossini, who was born just a year after Mozart's demise, once said of Mozart: “He was the inspiration of my youth, the desperation of my middle years, and the consolation of my old age.”
The evening's program features duets from beloved comedic operas such as The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, The Barber of Seville, and La Cenerentola, alongside enchanting songs by F.P. Tosti.
Program
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Arias and Duets from Figaro’s Marriage
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Arias and Duets from The magic flute
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Arias and Duets from Don Giovanni
- Gioachino Rossini – Arias and duets from The barber of Seville
- Gioachino Rossini – Arias and duets from La Cenerentola
- Francesco Paolo Tosti – Love songs
Cast / Production
Martina Barreca, Soprano
Lorenzo Martinuzzi, Baritone
St Mark's Anglican Church
Saint Mark's Anglican Church was established in 1881, constructed within a Neo-Renaissance Medici Palace once owned by Machiavelli. Rather austere in its exterior appearance, the church delights the eye with its rich interior. Ornate Venetian lamps and brass decorations hang from the archway before the grand white marble altar. Today, the church is an indispensable part of Florence’s cultural life, and a fitting tribute to Italy's national appreciation of arts and culture. It houses an opera company that regularly stages highly popular performances within the church. To see opera and listen to classical music in this church is a unique experience, as its stucture allows the viewers to sit close to the artists, and enjoy the magical atmosphere almost as if they were part of the show.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Perhaps the most important composer of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer of the late 18th century. Born in 1756 in Salzburg, he showed prodigious musical talent from childhood. Beginning at five years of age, he composed more than 600 works, including concertos, symphonies, religious works and operas before his premature death at the age of 35. Hi influence over successive generations cannot be overestated - Ludwig van Beethoven wrote of Mozart "posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years”. Despite the immense success of his compositions, and the acclaim he received across Europe, Mozart achieved little financial security and rwas buried in an unmarked grave in Vienna's St Marx Cemetery.
Gioachino Rossini
Gioachino Rossini was an Italian composer of the 19th century. He made his debut at the age of 18 and soon became one the most popular opera composer in history. His best known operas are The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia), The Italian Girl in Algiers (L'italiana in Algeri), and Cinderella (La Cenerentola). In general, his style can be defined as song-like melodic which earned him the nickname of "the Italian Mozart”. Later on he became famous for his exciting buildup of orchestral sound over a repeated phrase, which is now known as a "Rossini crescendo”.
Address
St Mark's Anglican Church, Via Maggio 18, Florence, Italy — Google Maps
