The June Swaner Gates Concert Hall filled with a burst of energy and splendor on May 1 when the notable music troupe Il Giardino Armonico played compositions by Vivaldi, Sammartini, and Merula.

Founded in Milan, Italy in 1985, Il Giardino Armonico brings together graduates from some of the top music colleges throughout Europe.

All the musicians in the group have specialized in playing period instruments. The troupe’s repertory mostly consisted of Baroque pieces from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The lively music captured the attention of the audience. The musicians also spiced up parts of the performance with their own comic routine, in which they played musical instruments to sound like cats, dogs, a Spanish guitar, and a soldier’s drums. They really know how to bring older music to life for modern audiences.

Il Giardino Armonico performs at many festivals all over the world, including the Musica e Poesia in San Maurizio, Italy, the Styriarte Festival, the Salzburger Pfingsten Festival, and others.

The ensemble has also performed in some of the most well-renowned concert halls in the world such as Amsterdam’s Concergebouw, New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Eigmore Hall, Vienna’s Musikverein and theaters in Brussels, Madrid, Tokyo, Zurich and many more.

Not only has Il Giardino Armonico played all over the world, they have accompanied several acclaimed soloists such as Eva Mei, Sumi Jo, Cecilia Bartoli, Viktoria Mullova, and Giuliano Carmignola in concerts and operas such as Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Handel’s Agrippina.

The seven musicians in the ensemble created beautiful music at the Gates Concert Hall at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. Stefano Barneschi and Maro Bianchi played the violins with tremendous charisma.

The incredible virtuoso, Giovanni Antonini, wonderfully showcased his ability on different types of flutes. The various tones of the flutes spread through the music hall, reflecting emotions such as joy, sadness, or anger.

Riccardo Minasi played the violin and viola, Paolo Beschi the cello, Luca Pianca the lute, Vanni Moretto the doublebass, and Riccardo Donni the harpsichord.

The true talent of each of the musicians was highlighted by the outstanding performance. Also, the flawless acoustics in the brand new Gates Concert Hall created a dramatic performance. It was truly a magical night.