The Jupiter ensemble represents a new generation of early music. Violinist Sophie Gent, cellist Jonathan Cohen and lutenist Thomas Dunford have enthused the Festival audience before. Now they return to Innsbruck on the occasion of the Festival finale. Supported by outstanding musicians such as harpsichordist Jean Rondeau and bassoonist Peter Whelan, they will devote themselves to the two predominant worlds of the composer Vivaldi, which merge into one: the concerto and dramatic vocal music. The Venetian master’s arias for vocal artists often had a concert-like quality on account of the richly figured and melodic style, while the mood of his spherical slow concerto movements can also be found in his heartfelt songs. Music practically made for French mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre, who moved the audience with her captivating voice at the Innsbruck Cesti Competition two years ago.

Together with the Jupiter ensemble, Desandre will express a whole range of human emotions: with music from the «Winter Concerto» of the «Four Seasons», which Vivaldi used again for a bitingly chilly aria by King Farnace, and with jealousy, revenge and desperation arias from the operas «Ottone in villa», «Il Bajazet» and «Griselda». Vivaldi provided us with appropriate music for every fibre of the emotional microcosm.