unLIKE Vivaldi
INFO
Format:
Solo violin Aleksey igudesman
String orchestra
Percussion
DESCRIPTION
Celebrating the Vivaldi Year 2028
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2028 marks the 350th anniversary of Antonio Vivaldi’s birth, a special occasion to rediscover his extraordinary musical legacy from a fresh perspective.
unLIKE Vivaldi is Aleksey Igudesman's tribute to one of the most influential composers in the history of string music. The programme does not recreate the past but carries Vivaldi's adventurous spirit into the present.
Vivaldi revolutionised the violin concerto and played a defining role in the development of orchestral string music. With more than 500 concertos to his name, his energy, virtuosity and unmistakable musical language continue to inspire performers and audiences around the world.
Igudesman approaches this legacy through his own distinctive musical voice. Classical virtuosity meets theatricality, rhythm, improvisation and a multitude of musical styles, transforming familiar Vivaldian ideas into something unexpected and entirely new.
The programme features various reinventions of some of Vivaldi’s most famous concertos. Recognisable themes and musical gestures are reimagined through tango, jazz, world music, contemporary rhythms and the unmistakable musical language of Igudesman.
In Happy Vivaldi, Igudesman condenses all four of Vivaldi’s seasons into four exhilarating minutes, interweaving them with Happy Birthday. For the Vivaldi Year 2028, the piece becomes a particularly fitting and virtuosic celebration of the composer’s 350th birthday.
The programme culminates in unLIKE Vivaldi, an original concerto grosso for solo violin, strings and percussion. The work pays homage to Vivaldi while bringing the concerto grosso into the 21st century. Percussion—including vibraphone, cajón, bongos and tambourine—adds energy, colour and groove to the orchestral sound.
unLIKE Vivaldi combines virtuosity, imagination and emotional depth. Rooted in the classical tradition but unafraid to cross musical boundaries, it offers audiences a new encounter with Vivaldi through Aleksey Igudesman's distinctive approach.
