On May 19th, the acclaimed early music group Harmonia Sacra will perform a selection of works by Guiseppe Patoni, Sebastiano Bolis and Alessandro Scarlatti at All Saints’ Church, Weston-Super-Mare.
In 1747 the 22 year old Henry Benedict Stuart, brother of Bonnie Prince Charlie and grandson of King James II, was made a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XIV. One year later Henry became Archpriest of St Peter’s Basilica, the first of many influential titles which he gained during a long and illustrious career. An accomplished musician and keen patron of the arts, Henry became a focal point around which a distinguished circle of Roman musicians, artists and writers revolved. This concert will feature rarely heard choral works by composers associated with Cardinal Henry, such as Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni (maestro at the Cappella Giulia from 1719-55) and Giovanni Battista Costanzi. It will also include the first modern performances of works by Sebastiano Bolis, one of Cardinal Henry’s favourite composers, which Harmonia Sacra will record for their second CD later this year.
Harmonia Sacra were formed by their musical dirPeter Leech in 2009, specifically for the performance of late-Renaissance and early-Baroque music to the highest standards.
More information on this concert may be found here: http://www.harmoniasacra.co.uk/#!choir__md/c1hxl