November 10, 20:00 – Music Forever. Soprano and Organ
Church of Saint Louis
Moscow, st. Malaya Lubyanka, 12/7 building 8
Love and separation, tenderness and despair, courtly splendor and quiet prayer—all these elements coexist in a remarkable way within Baroque music, one of the most vibrant and emotionally charged eras in the history of art.
We invite you on a musical journey across 17th- and 18th-century Europe: from the shores of "misty Albion" to sun-drenched Italy, and from solemn German cathedrals to dazzling opera houses.
The concert program features works by great masters, each of whom possessed a unique gift for expressing the most intimate human experiences.
The organ will serve as our guide into this extraordinary world. Johann Sebastian Bach’s majestic Fantasia in G major will reveal the rich palette and vast capabilities of the "king of instruments." This is contrasted by the graceful dance rhythms of English music, which evoke the atmosphere of historic balls and courtly celebrations. A special highlight is the organ transcription of a violin concerto by Antonio Vivaldi, crafted by the German composer Johann Gottfried Walther; here, Italian passion and virtuosity take on a new dimension, illustrating how freely musical ideas once traveled across Europe.
Yet, the most profound human stories of the evening will be told through the human voice. The tender aria "Bist du bei mir," from the *Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach*, will resonate as a declaration of love and devotion. The English genius Henry Purcell will unveil a full spectrum of emotion—from the mesmerizing beauty of "Music for a while" to the poignant lament of Dido, abandoned by her beloved. An aria sparkling with joy from *The Fairy-Queen* serves as a reminder that Baroque music can do more than just move us to tears—it can also evoke the spirit of a true celebration.
The theme of love—a love capable of enduring even separation—continues through the works of Italian masters. In Claudio Monteverdi’s celebrated *Lamento d’Arianna* (Ariadne’s Lament), the mythological heroine emerges as a flesh-and-blood woman, her emotions as resonant today as they were four centuries ago.
A different expression of human feeling awaits in the operas of George Frideric Handel, where poignant lyricism sits alongside dramatic contrasts and dazzling vocal virtuosity.
The journey concludes with music from a later era: the jubilant "Alleluja" from a motet by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Its radiant, almost weightless joy provides a perfect finale to an evening rich in the diverse shades of human experience.
Two remarkable performers—organist Maria Makarenko and soprano Ekaterina Monisova (an Honored Artist of the Republic of Adygea and the Republic of Khakassia)—invite you to experience this beauty. Through their artistry, music composed centuries ago breathes once more. This concert offers a chance to set aside the cares of daily life, hear familiar masterpieces in a new light, and discover an extraordinary world where music speaks more profoundly than words ever could.