National Chamber Ensemble - The Remarkable Four Seasons of Vivaldi - Canceled

"The Four Seasons" is one of Antonio Vivaldi's most famous works. Composed during the Baroque period and published in 1725, each concerto is accompanied by sonnets, written, as most believe, by Vivaldi himself. The sonnets provide a narrative for the music, offering a more complete picture of each season as the composition weaves its way through spring, summer, fall, and winter.

"One of the most original and entertaining performances of the Four Seasons I have ever seen or heard".

"Sushansky's demonstration was highly entertaining and very well received. When the music expressed the sounds of an old man snoring in his sleep, Sushansky made his instrument snore. Likewise, when the music involved a person slipping on the cold winter ice, Sushansky demonstrated that he could slip with the best slippers while simultaneously playing a difficult and fast passage of correlating music. The audience was thrilled and in awe, and they reciprocated with spontaneous laughter and applause throughout the entire performance, one which inspired a standing ovation before its final notes sounded." DCMetroTheaterArts

The performance of Vivaldi's "The Remarkable Four Seasons" will include a reading of the sonnets by Bob Ryan, as well as a multimedia presentation accompanying the performance that includes photos, moving images, and Vivaldi's own words that he wrote into the music and the ensemble's own humorous demonstration linking Vivaldi's words with the music. The Ensemble's Artistic Director Leonid Sushansky, called "a musical storyteller" by The Washington Post, will perform the violin solo with a sextet that includes two violins, viola, cello, double bass, and harpsichord.

Albinoni's famous Adagio which demonstrates the height of the Neo-Baroque movement will open the exciting program.