Constantinople’s 20th anniversary celebrations continue with two new concerts, in which Italy meets Istanbul and Spain meets Persia. This exploration of different musical forms from around the world will take place at Salle Bourgie, at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Under the artistic direction of Kiya Tabassian, Constantinople has created close to 50 new works, which have been presented in over 240 cities in 54 countries, resulting in 1,080 concerts, in addition to 19 recordings.
« At this time, when we smell the pungent stench of conflict and war advancing upon humanity, it is more vital than ever to build and rebuild bridges between civilizations, cultures, and peoples. For 20 years, Constantinople has been passionately invested in building bridges between various musical forms and traditions, those of yesterday and today as well as those from here and from abroad. The upcoming concerts in our 20th season will follow this direction, encouraging our audiences to reflect on the importance of these kinds of dialogue through the various musical bridges that we erect. » – Kiya Tabassian, Artistic Director, Constantinople.
Il Ponte di Leonardo
Constantinople & Marco Beasley (Italy)
- Saturday, March 19, 2022, Bourgie Hall
Marco Beasley, a specialist in Renaissance music, joins forces with Constantinople to celebrate, in music, a bridge that Leonardo da Vinci designed in 1502. The longest and boldest bridge of the time, it was to span the Bosporus and thus link Europe and Asia. But it was never built; the plans, however, were preserved in the artist’s archives. Five centuries later, Tabassian re-imagines this bridge with the help of 16th- and 17th-century works from the manuscript archives of the national libraries of Istanbul and Florence.
This work will also be presented in Calgary on March 10 and in Toronto on March 18.
From Castille to Samarkand
Constantinople & Accademia Del Piacere (Spain)
- Saturday, April 9, 2022, Bourgie Hall
The great masters of the Spanish Renaissance created a golden age of polyphony. Into what was essentially Franco-Flemish music of the time they wove influences left by the Moors and by the Muslim cultures so present in medieval Spain.
In collaboration with Fahmi Alqhai, one of the great virtuosos of the viola da gamba, and his Accademia del Piacere, the leading ensemble of early Spanish music, Constantinople embarks on a musical journey through Iberia, Persia, and Central Asia, revisiting music notable for its sumptuous colour and exceptionally rich beauty.
This work will also be presented in Seville (Spain) on March 26, in Vancouver on April 1, in Victoria on April 3, in Toronto on April 8, and in Quebec City on April 10.
More information
