One of the most exciting new groups to emerge in the early music world, the Toronto-based Aradia Ensemble, specializes in presenting an eclectic blend of orchestral, operatic and chamber music played on original instruments. The group records for Naxos records, and has also made video and film soundtrack. While focusing heavily on the repertoire of 17th century France and England, Aradia also performs works by Italian and German masters of the Baroque, as well as contemporary pieces commissioned by the group. Aradia has also collaborated in Baroque dance, Isadora Duncan dancers, Commedia dell’arte, and projects including Indonesian gamelan.
Aradia’s recordings have achieved international critic acclaim and the ensemble’s second CD, Ballet Music for the Sun King, released in the spring of 1998, was chosen as Record of the Month by the British Classic FM Magazine. The ensemble takes its name from Aradia, the daughter of Apollo’s twin sister, sent by the gods to teach mankind to order the music of the natural world into song. In the summer of 2000 they were the featured ensemble at the New Zealand International Chamber Music Festival. |