La Decima Musa, or The Tenth Muse. Music from the Golden Age of Venetian Opera, 1650-1660

Monday, 16 February 2026, 8.45pm
New College Chapel, Oxford, OX1 3BN

Musica Antica Rotherhithe present cantatas and extracts from operas written for Venice's public theatres in the mid-seventeenth century, many of which have lain unperformed for over 350 years. Using surviving payment records from venetian theatres, Mezzo Camilla Seale and countertenor Tristram Cooke will be accompanied by an ensemble which matches a Venetian theatre band of the time as closely as possible, comprising two violins, bass viol, three theorbos, harpsichord and a pentagonal virginal. 

Programme
Francesco Cavalli (1602 - 1676):
Cantata: Se la giù negl'abissi
Torindo, ove s'in via, from Orimonte (1650)
Dolce Frode, from Eritrea (1652)
Menfi, mia patria, from Statira (1656)
Ahi questo è il fine amaro, from Erismena (1655)

Barbara Strozzi (1619 -1677):
Eraclito Amoroso Cantate, ariette, e duetti (1651)

Francesco Lucio (1628 - 1658):
Donne belle e vezzose from Medoro (1658)
Medoro, e dove sei, from Medoro (1658)

Pietro Andrea Ziani (1616 - 1684):
Rodope, dove sei, from Le Fortune di Rodope e Damira (1657)
Marmi spietati from Le Fortune di Rodope e Damira (1657)

Performers:
Mezzo: Camilla Seale
Countertenor: Tristram Cooke
Violin: Andrew Taheny & Sophia Mücke
Bass viol: Harry Buckoke
Theorbo: Kristiina Watt, Jonatan Bougt & Peter Martin
Keyboards: Luke Mitchell & Oliver Doyle

This concert is made possible by the generous support of the Continuo Foundation and Cavalli Charity.

Purchase tickets for this concert here.