fri 06/12/2024

Juanita Lascarro, Academy of Ancient Music, Wigmore Hall | reviews, news & interviews

Juanita Lascarro, Academy of Ancient Music, Wigmore Hall

Juanita Lascarro, Academy of Ancient Music, Wigmore Hall

South American excursion fails to make it out of the European driveway

Juanita Lascarro: A soprano we don't see nearly enough of in the UK

Perhaps I’m being too literal-minded, but demanding South American music from a concert programme advertised as “South American Baroque” doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable. When you add Colombian-born soprano Juanita Lascarro as soloist and Brazilian Rodolfo Richter as leader it seems actively desirable – a chance to encounter an underexposed seam of music in the hands of expert guides. Turns out that all musical roads lead back to Europe, to the ubiquitous Scarlattis, Handel and Hasse, and despite a few exotic excursions to the New World it was in the familiar Old that we spent the bulk of our evening.

Perhaps I’m being too literal-minded, but demanding South American music from a concert programme advertised as “South American Baroque” doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable. When you add Colombian-born soprano Juanita Lascarro as soloist and Brazilian Rodolfo Richter as leader it seems actively desirable – a chance to encounter an underexposed seam of music in the hands of expert guides. Turns out that all musical roads lead back to Europe, to the ubiquitous Scarlattis, Handel and Hasse, and despite a few exotic excursions to the New World it was in the familiar Old that we spent the bulk of our evening.

A sort of South American La folia, the music stamped and pounded its way through a series of earthy variations

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Comments

She's so pretty and I love her music. All star cast and something worth watching for. Great! Thanks! :)

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