ensemble arte musica

Francesco Cera founded and directs the Ensemble Arte Musica. They perform a vast repertory of Italian Baroque vocal music, from madrigals to cantatas and in the various expressions of sacred music.

Their interpretation is characterised by a new and unconventional approach to Baroque vocal repertoire, although in the light of historical evidence. The singers in the Ensemble are chamber music and opera soloists, and the instrumentalists perform with Il Giardino Armonico and I Barocchisti.

The ensemble’s first recording (Tactus label) of unpublished sacred music by the 17th century composer Giovanni Paolo Colonna was widely acclaimed by the critics. The ensemble made their concert debut at the Flanders Festival in Bruges in 1997.

Their next CD included the Fourth Book of Madrigals by Carlo Gesualdo, and the Lamento di Arianna and Scherzi Musical composed in 1632 by Claudio Monteverdi.

In 2001 the magazine “Orfeo” published a presentation of the Ensemble, which included a CD. A year later, in 2002, the magazine “Amadeus” featured their CD of unpublished Cantatas and Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti. 2006 saw the issue of their CD “Ghirlanda Sacra”, a collection of motets for solo voice by Monteverdi and other composers working in Venice at the beginning of the 17th century.

In 2009 the ensemble has performed at the Konzerthaus in Vienna the madrigals composed by Luzzaschi and De Wert for the famous “Concerto delle Dame”. In 2010 Francesco Cera has conducted the ensemble in a successful performance of Monteverdi’s “Vespro della Beata Vergine” in the Abbey of Melk (Austria). Both concerts has been recorded by the austrian radio broadcasting and published on CD by the label ORF Alte Musik.

The Ensemble Arte Musica has performed at important music festivals through out Europe, such as the Istituzione Universitaria dei Concerti in Rome, Bologna Festival, Milano Arte Musica, Les Gouts Reunis in Lausanne, Linzner Schloss Konzerte, Festival van Vlaanderen, Tage fur Alte Musik in Brandenburg, Festival di Augsburg, Le feste di Apollo in Parma, Festival Cantar Lontano, Festival Luci e Tintinnii in Colle di Val d'Elsa and Festival Galuppi in Venice. They have also recorded for RAI Radio 3, ORF and Euro Radio.

reviews

The main event of the Festival was the Vesper of Claudio Monteverdi performed in the abbey church. Francesco Cera has conducted the excellent singers of his Ensemble Arte Musica and the strings, cornettos and trombones of the flemish group Oltramontano in an exciting performance. Melk can be proud of it!

Wiener Zeitung - May 26, 2010

Cera’s singers have a mellow and steady voice, creating dynamics that convey surprising echoes of ‘bel canto’, without pushing them too much into anti-historical extremes.

Carlo Vitali - Amadeus, July 2005

The evening featuring the Madrigali from Book Four by Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa was a rare and special event. Adherence to the text was perfect, and its deepest meanings were brilliantly interpreted by the young Ensemble Arte Musica, directed by Francesco Cera, who also performed on his Harpsichord.

Landa Ketoff - La Repubblica, Roma 4 March 1999

The interpreters of the Ensemble Arte Musica were excellent, and above all was Francesco Cera, a sensible and refined musician, who showed a noble loftiness and chaste emotions.

Nicoletta Sguben - Amadeus, June 2006

The italian singers under director Francesco Cera make the most of the poetry. They also reach new levels of refinement in tone and precision.

Lawson Taittle - The Dallas Morning News 2 Febbraio 1997.

The standard of the performance is uniformly excellent. Francesco Cera and the Ensemble Arte Musica are to be congratulated on their achievements here, and it’s to be hoped that they will continue to bring us further examples from the wonderful world of the Italian vocal music of the Baroque.

John Collins - The Diapason march 2007

Francesco Cera’s musical direction was careful, measured, and at the same time charged with a transport that gave life to a sublime performance.

Edoardo Farina - Gli Amici della Musica August 1997

The “Concerto delle dame principalissime” was performed by the Ensemble Arte Musica with admirable transport and conviction. Loredana Biagi and Letizia Calandra, under the guidance of performer and harpsichord player Francesco Cera, created a greatly fascinating musical scenario.

Adriano Cavicchi - Il Resto del Carlino 31 May 2006