The Festival Orchestra's baroque chamber orchestra playing on period instruments made its debut on October 1st in the Italian Cultural Institute. The conductor was one of the finest experts of Baroque music, Reinhard Göbel. The programme featured works by the Bach family, Johann Sebastian, Johann Christoph Friedrich, Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian.
The concert started with Johann Sebastian's Orchestral Suite No.3. in D Major, followed by Wilhelm Friedemann's Adagio and Fugue in D Minor. The last piece before the intermission was Johann Christian's cantata "La tempesta" with the Argentine counter-tenor, Franco Fagioli as soloist. The work was performed with original baroque gestures and movements designed by Sigrid T'Hooft, a specialist of historical performance practice.
The second half of the evening opened with Johann Christoph Friedrich's Symphony in D Major, followed by another two symphonies by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, in E Minor and D Major.
The BFO is planning later in the season another concert of its Baroque chamber orchestra on April 28th, 2012.
