L’Arpeggiata

This programme continues a thirty-year tradition, inspired by the legendary 1995 recording Les Trois contre-ténors featuring Pascal Bertin, Andreas Scholl, and Dominique Visse. Their idea originated as a playful nod to the global phenomenon The Three Tenors – José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti—who managed to fill stadiums around the world in the 1990s. 

With L’Arpeggiata, the concept – three exceptional voices meeting on stage in an atmosphere of virtuosity, flair, and friendly rivalry – takes on an extra dimension. It becomes a captivating journey through the beauty of the voice, featuring opera arias and cantatas originally sung by castrati in the 17th century. Historical manuscripts from across Europe speak of soprano and alto castrati and demonstrate the unprecedented extent of their vocal range. 

Castrati were once among the greatest stars of music history and dominated Europe’s opera stages. They portrayed heroes, lovers, and even female roles. Intrigues, disguises,…