La Serenissima Cantat

‘La Serenissima’—the Most Serene—is the official name of the Republic of Venice, although the Italian root word „serena’ means ‘cheerful’ and ‘calm’. And that is how it still appears today: the most beautiful city in the world, like a cheerful interplay of the arts, music and celebrations of life between water and sky. Even if reality may look different—and often did in the past.

Nevertheless, this city has produced incredible talents: architects, painters, composers and musicians of international renown. Before the horizontal line of the horizon, in the vertically rising patrician houses, palazzi and churches, there was always a need and hunger for new images, new comedies and new sacred as well as festive music. The orphanage (an institution for the care of children—conservatorio) Santa Maria della Pietà, where Vivaldi taught orphaned girls and boys music, served as a reservoir of talented soloists. Particularly beautiful boys’ voices were turned into castrati, and they often enjoyed magnificent careers at European princely courts. ‘Conservatory’ became a worldwide term for institutions of higher music education.

Thomas Strauß, musician and choir director, and Tilmann Krieg, artist and photographer, have already undertaken several joint projects in which music and images communicate with one another. Although music may be ‘the highest of all the arts’ it is images that transform it back into the visible world. Tilmann Krieg taught for many years in Venice at a UNESCO institution, and so the idea arose between the two creative friends of creating an evening that would unite music and visual impressions of La Serenissima in a concert event of exceptional quality. Thomas Strauß selected and rehearsed the wonderful music for this programme (with the Ortenau Bach Choir and…((orchestra and soloists))). The church interior thus becomes a reminiscence of the sound, light and colours of the lagoon city, which for centuries has resided magnificently and languidly between waters and skies.