Review: Ars Lyrica’s season-opener a stunning mix of music and history

Richard Savino playing the theorbo in an Ars Lyrica performanceFor the Ars Lyrica Houston fall/winter season, the theme is “sounding legacies,” all in the spirit of gratitude for the return to live performances. Artistic director Matthew Dirst and executive director Kinga Ferguson explain in the program that the season “pays homage to sounding legacies of various kinds, from that of Cecilia, our patron saint, to the enduring pastoral trope in poetry and music.

These are celebratory pieces that emphasize a range of emotions from the joy of playful whimsicality, to more solemn moments of adoration and appreciation. But the common denominator is a reverence for the sublimity of creativity and the inspiration of Saint Cecilia, who reportedly surreptitiously sang to her Christian Lord even while marrying a pagan.

For example, admired Baroque violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock, who is also 1st violinist and concertmaster for the performance, plays a 1660 Guarneri violin created in Italy that is on permanent loan to her from the Philharmonia Baroque Period Instrument Trust. This is the caliber of musicians that play with Ars Lyrica, whether in the orchestra, or those singing the lyrics to these operatic works.

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