Apollo’s Fire
The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Rediscovered
Jeannette Sorrell, conductor

In its sixth appearance at Schwab Auditorium, Apollo’s Fire will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s beloved concertos as the revolutionary acts of musical storytelling they were meant to be. Four Seasons Rediscovered will bring Vivaldi’s pictorial descriptions to life. Thought you knew the Four Seasons? Prepare for surprises!

From the bird calls and storms to a barking dog, flies and wasps, drunken peasants, an exhilarating fox hunt with “gunshots,” and more, the story that Vivaldi intended with these pieces is made clear as each concerto is preceded by a quick and polished “tour” of the sound effects to come. The virtuoso musicians of Apollo’s Fire take turns stepping into the spotlight as a different soloist leads each concerto.

The program will also feature dueling cellists in Vivaldi’s stormy Concerto for Two Cellos. Hear why Artistic Director and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell calls Vivaldi the “rock ’n’ roll composer of the eighteenth century.”

Named for the classical god of music and the sun, Apollo’s Fire, founded by Sorrell, revived the Baroque ideal that music should evoke the listeners’ passions. The ensemble is a collection of artists who share Sorrell’s passion for drama and rhetoric. London’s The Independent hails Apollo’s Fire as “one of the pre-eminent period-instrument ensembles.”

Artistic Viewpoints will not be offered before this concert.