Zsombor Tóth-Vajna & Harmonia Caelestis Baroque Orchestra Presented by Liszt Academy

This concert invites the audience into the colorful world of Händel’s Italian cantatas. The selected works revolve around the eternal themes of passion, pain, and heroic perseverance. Clori, mia bella Clori reveals the thoughts of a man suffering from the absence of his beloved; Dolc’ è pur d’amor l’affanno portrays a lover tormented by doubt; while Pensieri notturni di Filli presents a quiet, melancholic figure immersed in a night of solitude, seeking peace after emotional turmoil. The two cantatas after the intermission also explore the darker sides of love – jealousy, separation, sorrow – before the evening concludes with the hunt of the goddess Diana. In these cantatas, Händel not only delves into deep emotional and psychological layers but also demonstrates his mastery in combining solo voice with a small baroque instrumental ensemble.