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The Accademia dell'Annunciata is a Baroque orchestra, founded in 2009 in Abbiategrasso (Milano) ), in the Leonardesque building of the former Convento dell’Annunciata, an architectural jewel built by Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza in the second half of the 14th century. The Renaissance jewel, the former convent Annunciata in Abbiategrasso, gives the orchestra not only its name, but also its home. Through its many and varied experiences, the Accademia has developed a very clear identity. It specializes in Baroque and pre-classical repertoire, performed with original period instruments, and combines this with the involvement of young musicians. Supported by senior, more experienced colleagues such as Carlo Lazzaroni and Marcello Scandell, these youths have an opportunity for training and professional development in an environment that is unique in Italy. Over the years, under the direction of Riccardo Doni, the Accademia has developed a rich repertoire, which embraces a wide temporal and stylistic period, from the Baroque of J.S. Bach, George Frideric Handel and Antonio Vivaldi to the classicism of W.A. Mozart and early L.v. Beethoven, , with a particular focus on rediscovering Italian authors rarely included in the concert programmes, such as Francesco Durante, Felice Dall’Abaco and Felice Giardini.
The orchestra has collaborated with soloists such as Enrico Onofri, Paolo Beschi, Evangelina Mascardi, Sonia Prina, Paolo Perrone, Luca Braga, Filippo Mineccia and Giuliano Carmignola. With Giuliano Carmignola, the Accademia made the first modern recording of Felice Giardini's the six Violin Concertos Op. 15. In 2019, with Mario Brunello, he made a recording of works by Giuseppe Tartini (forthcoming). The Accademia has also collaborated with bass Andrea Mastroni, with whom they recorded G.F. Handel's Arie, Overture and Concerti Grossi. A vibrant new synergy has been generated with Giuliano Carmignola on the violin and Mario Brunello on the small cello based on the music of A. Vivaldi and Antonio Vivaldi, with the aim of recording a series of concerts for Arcana. In 2015, in co-operation with the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, in the evocative setting of the Isola Comacina, the Accademia brought to life an itinerant exhibition of G.F. Handel's Alcina directed by Giacomo Agosti.
The Accademia dell'Annunciata carries out an intense recording activity that has earned the applause of specialized critics (International Italian Heritage Award 2013 for "La Milano dei Borromeo", to name just one). For MusicaViva, Egeamusic label it has published the "Battaglie e Tempeste", "Masonic Music in the 18th century", "An Italian in London", with Giuliano Carmignola and "Melancholia", inspired by the G.F. Handel project with Andrea Mastroni. "Sonar in Ottava" with Giuliano Carmignola and Mario Brunello is due for release in 2019.
In addition to organizing an annual concert season at its headquarters for the past several years, the Accademia is regularly invited to perform at various festivals in Italy and abroad and now has several hundred concerts to its credit. |
