{"product_id":"concert-monteverdi-vespers-of-1610","title":"Concert: Monteverdi Vespers of 1610","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eThe Festival Concert this year is the Opus Magnum of Venetian composer Claudio Monteverdi.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eWritten as an audition piece to the Pope, Monteverdi poured every ounce of his talents and skill into this extraordinary work. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eClaudio Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine (Vespers for the Blessed Virgin) of 1610 is a monumental early Baroque masterpiece, blending traditional polyphony with innovative operatic styles. It features 13 movements for soloists, choir, and orchestra, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and stands as a pivotal, dramatic, and deeply emotional work of sacred music. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eThis will be performed by the massed choirs and period instruments of the festival, and directed by Sinfonia Smith Square director Simon Over.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eThe Southwell Consort, Guerrero Baroque Collective, with soloists from the Davey Consort\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eSophie Bevan\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eDaisy Bevan\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eAna Beard Fernandez\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eFrancis Bevan\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eDominic Bevan\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eFelix Leach\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eBen Bevan\u003cbr\u003eDaniel Tate\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eSimon Over studied at the Amsterdam Conservatoire, the Royal Academy of Music, and Oxford University. From 1992 to 2002, Simon was a member of the music staff of Westminster Abbey, and Director of Music at both St Margaret’s Church and the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster. Since 2015, he has been Music Director at St Clement Danes, the central church of the Royal Air Force. He is the Founder-Conductor of the UK Parliament Choir, Principal Guest Conductor of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand, formerly Music Director of Bury Court Opera, and Conductor of The Malcolm Sargent Festival Choir.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eSimon founded Sinfonia Smith Square in 2002 and is now its Artistic Director. He is the Founder-Conductor of the UK Parliament Choir; in April 2023, Simon conducted the Parliament Choir and Sinfonia Smith Square (formerly Southbank Sinfonia) in their performance of The Dream of Gerontius (Elgar) in the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, marking the canonisation of Saint John Henry Newman. Simon has also worked with many internationally acclaimed artists as a conductor, pianist, and accompanist.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Davey Consort","offers":[{"title":"Front","offer_id":57201531158902,"sku":"B26C2F","price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Middle","offer_id":57201531191670,"sku":"B26C2M","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Back","offer_id":57201531224438,"sku":"B26C2B","price":17.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0308\/0077\/3165\/files\/ChatGPT_Image_Feb_2_2026_10_37_37_PM_7bb971f6-3cf7-40ea-914d-5f478b480c2c.png?v=1770130130","url":"https:\/\/thedaveyconsort.co.uk\/products\/concert-monteverdi-vespers-of-1610","provider":"The Davey Consort","version":"1.0","type":"link"}