The Rustaveli National Theater Small Stage was transformed into a portal of another world on 1 November, when renowned Venetian Cellist Davide Amadio performed with the Georgian Sinfonietta to reveal the timeless elegance Venetian Baroque Music. This concert, entitled ‘Venetian Baroque,’ opened the 10th Tbilisi Baroque Festival. It was a landmark event supported by both the Italian Embassy and Shota Rustaveli State Drama Theater.
This evening, presented on period instruments, featured music by some Venetian masters, Albinoni Platti Galuppi Vivaldi Tartini and Marcello. The music filled the air in Tbilisi with echoes of Venice’s canals.
Unfolding Venetian Eloquence: A Thoughtful Programme
Venetian Baroque Music, with its refined expression and meticulous structuring captures a world full of contrasts. The grandeur of Venice’s opulence is tempered by its contemplative inner reflection. This concert was a journey through some of the most evocative pieces of the era. It began with Albinoni’s Sinfonie a Cinque and ended with Vivaldi’s stirring Cello Concerto D minor. The program traces an arc of restrained lyricism and dramatic gestures. Each piece was selected to reveal the nuanced Venetian Baroque world.
The opening piece, TomasoAlbinoni’s Sinfonie a Cinque, was a great way to ease the audience into the evening. It also helped to introduce the style of the evening. The transparent harmonies of the piece set the scene, allowing the subsequent compositions, notably Platti’s Cello Concerto D major, to delve further into the emotional core in the Baroque repertoire. The carefully selected pieces not only displayed Venetian aesthetics but also built a narrative that switched from lively orchestration into the more introspective tone of Marcello and Tartini.
Davide Amadio : A Study of Artistry and Charisma
Davide Amadio was the most important element of the evening, bringing an artistic gravity that was unique to the Tbilisi stage. Amadio is a cellist renowned for his technical precision and nuanced interpretation. Both were on full display during this performance. In Platti’s Cello Concerto, he displayed a delicate balance between strength and lyricism. This was especially evident in the Allegro sections where he conveyed both intensity and lightness. Amadio’s Adagio was almost confessional in its intimacy, reflecting the introspective tendencies of Baroque music.
Amadio’s interpretations Vivaldi’s Cello Concertos in C major and D Minor were equally telling. The Allegro movement of the C-major Concerto was a demonstration of his agility and control. This contrasted with the restrained beauty of the Andante of the D-minor Concerto. Amadio revealed Vivaldi’s talent to combine lyrical fragility and structural complexity, reminding audiences of the layered subtlety of Baroque. His performance went far beyond virtuosity. It seemed to reanimate both the historical and emotional landscapes of Venetian Music itself.
Georgian Sinfonietta – A refined ensemble with interpretative depth
Amadio’s performance wouldn’t have had the full resonance it has without the Georgian Sinfonietta’s refined, supportive accompaniment. The Sinfonietta, Tbilisi’s premier chamber ensemble, is known for its attentiveness and clarity when it comes to Baroque repertoire. These qualities were crucial to the success of this concert. Giorgi Kuzanashvili, playing theorbo or Baroque guitar alternately, accompanied the ensemble as it navigated the concert’s transitions. From the buoyancy and dynamism of Albinoni’s Sinfonie a quintette to the solemnity and dynamism of Tartini’s Cello Concerto A major.
The Sinfonietta and Amadio’s collaboration found its most compelling expression with Galuppi’s Concerto a Quattro, a piece which shifts from a sober Grave to an animated Allegro. The Georgian Sinfonietta was able to fully express Galuppi’s characteristic balance of shadow and light, with their precise handling rhythmic patterns, enhancing the harmonic tensions that are at the heart the piece. The orchestra’s performance of Marcello’s Concerto Grosso e minor was another example of interpretative insight. The ensemble’s restrained treatment of the Minuetto highlighted Marcello’s intention to contrast joy with solemnity.
Period Instruments: A window into Baroque Soundscapes
The use of period instruments in the concert added a new dimension to the evening, allowing the performance to be layered with rich textures of historical sounds. The tempered tuning, the softer attack on Baroque bows and the natural resonance of gut string enhanced the nuanced tone world of Venetian Baroque. This was most apparent in the lower register passages where the orchestral string–tuned to historical pitch—-echoed with warmth and depth that modern instruments often miss. Amadio’s cello, in particular, had a more vocal quality. Its sound fluctuated between mellow softness, and intense vibrato. This further intensified the pieces’ emotional range.
This authenticity was particularly effective in Marcello’s Concerto Grosso e Minor, where the Sinfonietta’s interplay of texture and timbre amplified the work’s layered counterpoint. The historical tuning and period techniques brought out a natural quality in the harmonic shifts. This allowed the orchestra to maintain Marcello’s intricate balance of power and finesse. This choice of historical instrumentation wasn’t just a nod to tradition, but a carefully calculated decision that connected modern listeners to the authentic soundscapes of the Baroque period.
Tbilisi, a cultural crossroads: Reflections of a Decade in Tbilisi’s Baroque
This concert was not just about music, it was also a cultural bridge that linked Georgian and Italian musical traditions. The Tbilisi Baroque Festival emphasized Tbilisi’s growing engagement with European early-music traditions by inviting Venetian musicians who performed the city’s Baroque music. Tbilisi’s position as a center for historically informed performances continues to grow with the arrival of acclaimed performers like Jean Rondeau and Andreas Scholl.
In its 10th anniversary, the Tbilisi Baroque Festival is no longer a niche event, but a cultural mainstay that attracts renowned musicians and devoted audiences. The festival’s mission of reconnecting contemporary listeners to the expressive depths of early music was highlighted by this anniversary concert featuring a distinguished artist like Davide Amadio. The festival’s embrace of Venetian Baroque reminded Tbilisi audiences that the emotional landscape of Baroque is universal.
Davide Amadio, the Georgian Sinfonietta and their complex Venetian Baroque music created a powerful and contemplative evening. The concert was more than just technical excellence. It captured the spirit of a time through a carefully crafted programme and authentic instrumentation. The compositions, from Albinoni’s stately elegance to Marcello’s introspective counterpoints, were all invitations to explore the vast emotional landscape of Venetian Music.
In a world that is increasingly digital, fast-paced, and digital, this type of performance, which celebrates patient, historical authenticity, nuanced artistry and nuanced patience, is more important than ever. Tbilisi Baroque Festival is a testament of Tbilisi’s rich artistic vision, and also a celebration of baroque music’s enduring relevance. This concert, punctuated with Amadio’s introspective virtuosity, and the Sinfonietta’s textured playing set the tone for the festival’s next decade. A future where music transcends time and borders.
By Ivan Nechaev
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