KirstiConsort joins forces with soprano Kat Carson and baroque violinist Nino Natroshvili for this programme. Qual suono festoso is a combination of theatre and concert, starting with the semi-staged cantata, Fra Dori e Fileno, composed by Camilla de Rossi and concluding with an instrumental trio sonata by Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre. While Jacquet de la Guerre is one of the better known female composers of the baroque period, the life of de Rossi remains a mystery.

Fra Dori e Fileno tells the story of two lovers, Dori and Fileno. Fileno finds himself alone in a dark forest, longing for his beloved Dori. He finds her sleeping and gently wakes her up. At first they are delighted to be united, but then, as often is the case with young lovers, insecurity and doubt creeps in. Before rushing into marriage, Dori wants to be sure of Fileno’s love and fidelity and puts him to the test. Will the two lovers stay together? Or will doubt defeat love, putting an end to their affair?

Just like Camilla de Rossi, Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre had a great talent for putting music to words. Her ability to express emotions and words with music can not only be heard in her vocal works, but also in her instrumental music. Her trio sonata in c minor is a colourful work with a range of moods expressed through a brilliant dialogue between the instruments.