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Alessandro Stradella: Music, mayhem and murder

Alessandro Stradella's star burned brightly but briefly, his music glorious, his lifestyle dissolute, murdered, aged 38. Hannah French & Andrew Kirkman explore his life & work.

Alessandro Stradella's star burned brightly but briefly. His music was glorious; his lifestyle was dissolute: embezzlement, sexual imprudence and political intrigue - Stradella fell foul of his misdemeanours in 1682 when he was murdered by a hitman at the age of just 38.

Hannah French is joined in the studio by the University of Birmingham's Professor Andrew Kirkman, who conducted a recent performance of Stradella's opera "La forza dell'amor paterno" with Barber Opera. Together they'll explore Stradella's colourful life and wonderful music, including extracts from the Birmingham performance, alongside recordings of Stradella's other operas, oratorios and orchestral works.

Programme also includes your weekly bulletin of Early Music News, with Mark Seow.

Available now

42 minutes

Music Played

  • Alessandro Stradella

    San Giovanni Battista: Sinfonia

    Performer: Concerto Italiano. Director: Rinaldo Alessandrini.
    • Un Viaggio A Roma.
    • Naive.
    • 10.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Time, grant me a fugitive instant (La Forza dell'amor paterno, Act II)

    Singer: Galina Averina. Ensemble: Musical and Amicable Society. Director: Andrew Kirkman.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Sinfonia No. 6 for 2 Violins and Continuo in F Major

    Ensemble: Ensemble Arte Musica. Director: Francesco Cera.
    • Stradella: String Sinfonias, Nos. 1鈥9.
    • Brilliant Classics.
    • 36.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Disperata rimembranza, lascia omai

    Singer: Rosita Frisani. Ensemble: Alessandro Stradella Consort. Conductor: Est茅van Velardi.
    • Stradella: Cantatas & Serenatas Vol. 1.
    • Dynamic.
    • 31.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    See Jove on that hillock (La Forza del amor paterno, Act II)

    Singer: Lara Marie M眉ller. Ensemble: Musical and Amicable Society. Director: Andrew Kirkman.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    O love, how they wail and cry (La Forza del amor paterno, Act I)

    Singer: Andy Shen Liu. Ensemble: Musical and Amicable Society. Director: Andrew Kirkman.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Hopeless, abandoned, alone (La Forza del amor paterno , Act I)

    Singer: Francis Gush. Ensemble: Musical and Amicable Society. Director: Andrew Kirkman.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Sinfonia No. 1 for 2 Violins and Continuo in C Major: I. Grave - Allegro

    Performer: Ensemble Arte Musica. Performer: Francesco Cera.
    • Stradella: String Sinfonias, Nos. 1鈥9.
    • Brilliant Classics.
    • 1.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Moro per amore: III. Furie terribili (Eurinda)

    Singer: Chantal Santon Jeffery. Ensemble: Galilei Consort. Director: Benjamin Ch茅nier.
    • Stradella: Lagrima E Sospiri.
    • Alpha.
    • 3.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Cos矛 Va (La Susanna)

    Singer: Barbara Zanichelli. Ensemble: Ensemble Aurora. Director: Enrico Gatti.
    • La Susanna.
    • Glossa.
    • 12.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Deh, che pi霉 tardi (San Giovanni Battista)

    Singer: Alicia Amo. Ensemble: Le Banquet C茅leste. Director: Damien Guillon.
    • Stradella: San Giovanni Battista.
    • Alpha.
    • 32.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    S霉, coronatemi (San Giovanni Battista)

    Singer: Alicia Amo. Ensemble: Le Banquet C茅leste. Director: Damien Guillon.
    • Stradella: San Giovanni Battista.
    • Alpha.
  • Alessandro Stradella

    Sonata a 8 viole con una tromba in D Major

    Ensemble: Concerto Italiano. Director: Rinaldo Alessandrini.
    • Un Viaggio A Roma.
    • Naive.
    • 6.

Broadcast

  • Sun 25 Jun 2023 14:00

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