Sprezzatura, directed by Michael Barrett, is Boston's newest professional vocal ensemble. Our goal is to explore and perform at the highest level the repertoire of vocal chamber music from the 15th to the 17th centuries.
Our inaugural concert in August 2006 (see sound samples below) featured sopranos Lydia Brotherton and Teresa Wakim, alto AnnMarie Darrow and bass Darrick Yee in a performance of selections from the fourth and fifth madrigal books of Claudio Monteverdi.
Sound Samples:
from the Fourth Book (first publ. Venice, 1603)
Sfogava con le stelle mp3
Quell'augellin che canta mp3
Si, ch'io vorrei morire mp3
from the Fifth Book (first publ. Venice, 1605)
Ch'io t'ami (1. parte) mp3
Deh! bella e cara (2. parte) mp3
Ma tu, più che mai dura (3. e ultima parte) mp3