Lea Desandre, mezzo
Thomas Dunford, lute

Friday, November 03, 2023 - 7:30 PM
American Philosophical Society

American Philosophical Society

Benjamin Franklin Hall,
427 Chestnut Street Learn More

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About This Performance

There are a thousand ways to write love and a thousand ways to live it. French-Italian mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and renowned lutenist Thomas Dunford remind us of this by bringing together these works dedicated to love by Italian composers of the 17th century. The dialogue among pieces by Monteverdi, Merula, Kapsberger, and Frescobaldi highlights the richness and complexity of the sentiment. If love songs today have other finery, Lettera amorosa sighs that the motives and messages remain similar.

Lettera amorosa
Monteverdi: "Si dolce è’l tormento"
Frescobaldi: "Se l'aura spira" from Primo libro d'arie musicali per cantarsi
Kapsberger: Toccata No. 6
Dalza: "Calata ala Spagnola"
Handel: "Lascia la spina" from Il trionfo del Tempo e della Verità
Kapsberger: Toccata No. 5
Monteverdi: "Se i languidi miei sguardi (lettera amorosa)" from The Seventh Book of Madrigals
Kapsberger: "Figlio dormi"
Handel: "Frondi tenere e belle ... Ombra mai fù" from Serse
Kapsberger: Toccata No. 1
Merula: "Canzonetta spirituale sopra alla nanna"
Kapsberger: Toccata No. 3
Merula: "Folle è ben che si crede"
Monteverdi: "Quel sguardo sdegnosetto"

Running time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (no intermission)