I Fagiolini

Why I Fagiolini?

‘If there’s a more enterprisingly theatrical vocal group than this one, I’ve yet to encounter it.’  The Daily Telegraph

‘First-rate musical actors… quite gorgeous…’  American Record Guide

‘I Fagiolini’s ravished and ravishing singers.’   The New York Sun

‘There is nothing ordinary about a performance by I Fagiolini. These singers have made their reputation by turning their backs on convention.’   The Guardian

• I Fagiolini specialises in Renaissance and Contemporary vocal music. The group communicates programmes in a theatrical style that captures the repertoire and portrays it to audiences in a new and unique style.

• I Fagiolini also works with instrumentalists, most recently: Barokksolistene – Bach cantatas (London); Bach Christmas Oratorio (Oslo); Monteverdi (BBC Proms), English Concert – Purcell King Arthur, RLPO – Berio Sinfonia; Feinstein Ensemble – Bach B Minor Mass (one to a part), Harmony of Nations – Purcell The Fairy Queen; Handel Acis & Galatea

• Past collaborations include Bach St John Passion with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Christmas with Bach with the Academy of Ancient Music.

• Projects have included The Full Monteverdi on stage and film (resident at Lincoln Center Festival in 2007); Purcell’s The Indian Queen with puppets; L’Amfiparnaso with masks; The Birds (with The Opera Group) and a partly improvised album, Simunye, with SDASA Chorale of Soweto.

• New music: 25 commissions including Adrian Williams, Ed Hughes, David Matthews, Ivan Moody, Gabriel Jackson, Daryl Runswick and Roderick Williams.
• Media: the ensemble is regularly on radio, Hollingworth often writing and presenting on BBC Radio 3 (Discovering Music, CD Review, The Early Music Show). The group has released 18 CDs and 2 DVDs: Vecchi’s masked comedy L’Amfiparnaso with actor Simon Callow, and The Full Monteverdi. 

Forthcoming projects include:

• In 2012 I Fagiolini will be touring Striggio 40-part mass; the group’s hugely successful Gramophone-nominated world première recording of which was released on Decca in 2011.
• Tallis in Wonderland with director Henk Schut including theatrics, lighting and sound installation (venue-adaptable). This hour show deconstructs polyphony using Tallis, Byrd, Rore, Manchicourt, Palestrina and Gesualdo whilst putting the audience in the midst of the sound and a soundscape.  Premiered Aldeburgh, 2008
  
• Angels – Co-production based on Renaissance poplyphony with Australian Circus company ‘Circa’.
• Berio Sinfonia [see film clip] Berio’s cries of london could be performed in the same concert.
• Film screenings of The Full Monteverdi
• New recording released on Decca in 2012.