MARIA – CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI'S VESPRO DE LA BEATA VERGINE

On September 20, 2026, Monteverdi’s famous Marian Vespers from 1610 will be performed at St. Matthäus Church at the Kulturforum. The work is considered one of the most important sacred works of the early Baroque period and showcases the full range of Monteverdi’s compositional diversity. In psalms, concerti, and the concluding Magnificat, he combines traditional sacred music with the then-revolutionary expressive techniques of early opera.

This magnificent music was also composed against the backdrop of Monteverdi’s personal circumstances: by dedicating the work to Pope Paul V, the composer hoped to secure a new position and to leave his difficult situation at the court of Mantua behind. In the Marian Vespers, polyphonic motets and traditional cantus firmus techniques meet virtuoso solo passages, new melodic forms, and a musical language that already points clearly toward the Baroque and opera.

Under the title “MARIENVESPER REVISITED,” Capella de la Torre approaches this musical universe from a unique perspective. Monteverdi’s music is reinterpreted and placed within a broader historical and musical context alongside works by Salomone Rossi, the Jewish composer who was both a contemporary and a student of Monteverdi. The result is a concert program that not only presents the fascinating soundscape of the Marian Vespers but also highlights connections between different cultural and religious traditions.

The stage features sopranos Margaret Hunter and Erika Tandiono, tenors Fabian Kelly and Eric Price, and bass Martin Schicketanz. They are accompanied by Capella de la Torre under the direction of Katharina Bäuml, who also plays the shawm.

An evening of Italian splendor, virtuoso vocal music, and colorful instrumental music—and at the same time an invitation to experience Monteverdi’s famous work from a new perspective.