If Venice, Italy, is known today mostly as an oversaturated tourist mecca, it reigned in the 17th and early 18th centuries as one of Europe’s premier musical capitals.
The Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado celebrated the city’s bountiful legacy Friday evening at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral with a concert titled “The Glories of Venice.” And it was glorious, indeed.
Concluding its second season, this Denver-based ensemble, which brings together local and national period-instrument musicians, has found its groove with playing that is fresh, passionate and wonderfully alive.
Put simply, the orchestra has established itself as a first-rate addition to Denver’s classical-music scene, especially considering the embarrassing paucity of early-instrument concerts previously.
Frank Nowell, the ensemble’s artistic director and fine keyboardist, put together an appealing, skillfully ordered program with lots of variety and a few surprises.
It opened with early baroque works from the 17th century, airy, sometimes delicate music played with suitable clarity, directness and translucence, and turned on the second half to comparatively supercharged, late baroque works by Antonio Vivaldi.
Highlighting the first half were three vocal gems by Claudio Monteverdi, two featuring St. John’s Schola Cantorum and eight guest vocalists. The latter all proved to be excellent soloists, especially mezzo-soprano Marjorie Bunday and countertenor Robert Sussuma, who paired to stunning effect in the concluding “Beatus vir.”
Also deserving note was the lively interaction in Giovanni Gabrieli’s Sonata con tre violini. It matched an energized, well-matched trio of orchestra violinists – leader Cynthia Miller Freivogel, Stacey Brady and Tekla Cunningham – with William Simms, a true virtuoso of the earthy theorbo, a kind of long-necked lute.
The second half showcased three concertos by Vivaldi, the clear standout being the finale – Concerto in D minor for Violin, Strings and Continuo, RV 242. It featured a gripping, fiery solo performance by Freivogel, a stellar artist by any standard and the orchestra’s obvious spark plug.
The program will be repeated at 7:30 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder.
Fine arts critic Kyle MacMillan can be reached at 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com.
