Vespro della Beata Vergine (The Highlights)：Claudio Monteverdi / Direction：HAMADA Yoshimichi

Dear Audience, Today we present Monteverdi’s “Vespers of the Blessed Virgin” (Vespro della Beata Vergine) from here, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Tokyo. While so many concerts in the world are postponed or cancelled due to pandemic of COVID-19, Japanese Government eased limitation on the numbers of spectators at events, as it is considered that the number of coronavirus-positives and patients in Japan is relatively well controlled. I should say today is a kind of “intermission” because the restriction may be tightened again in the coming winter. Following the Cathedral’s request, though, we limited the seats only for 250 persons, whilst the venue has a seating capacity of 800. In addition, most members of the chorus are amateurs and some of them are medical workers; taking these into account, number of chorus singers are reduced to about one third of usual active members. Also, we sing and play, though unwillingly, wearing face-masks and keeping physical distances. However, we would like to perform the Vespers with delight, as we are able to give a concert today somehow.   I shall be very happy if you enjoy this short video clip extracted from the performance. Thank you. HAMADA Yochimichi (Translation：ARAI Noriko) VESPRO DELLA BEATA VERGINE：CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI CHORUS 　La Voce Orfica ENSEMBLE　Anthonello 　VIOLINS： SUGITA Setsuko,  AMANO Toshihiko 　VIOLA： SASAKI Rika 　VIOL： TAKEZAWA Shuhei 　VIOLONE： NISHIZAWA Nakako 　THEORBO： TAKIY Leonardo 　RECORDERS： FURUHASHI Jun-ichi,  ODA Yuko 　FLUTE： NAKAGAWA Takashi 　CORNETTS： HAMADA Yoshimichi,  HOSOKAWA Daisuke,  SHIMADA Makoto 　SACKBUTS： WADA Kentaro,  MINAMI Kohei,   KURIHARA Yosuke 　ORGAN： UWAHA Tsuyoshi SOLOISTS 　SOPRANOS：JINNOUCHI Mayumi,   NAKAGAWA Shiho,   NAKAYAMA Miki,   TAMURA Sachiyo  　TENORS：KONUMA Shuntaro,   MAEDA Hiromitsu,   SATO Taku,   TAJIRI Takeshi 　BASSES：MATSUI Eitaro,   TANIMOTO Yoshiki DIRECTION　HAMADA Yoshimichi Performed on November 2, 2020 At St. Mary‘s Cathedral, Tokyo