Rachel Baptist: Ireland's Black Syren

As champion of music from Ireland, Peter Whelan and his Irish Baroque Orchestra give a rare glimpse into a fascinating figure of the eighteenth-century Dublin music scene. Who was Rachel Baptist? Not much is known of the 'Celebrated Black Syren', other than she was a soprano of African descent and born in Ireland, sang regularly in Dublin, London, Liverpool and other cities, and performed alongside famed castrato Giusto Ferdinando Tenducci. The programme includes works that Baptist might have performed at the 'Grand Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Musick' held in 1752, including arias by Handel, Pasquali (a couple of premiere recordings), Purcell and some additional instrumental pieces. The 'resplendent' Rachel Redmond (The New York Times) is the soprano.

Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759) , Nicolo Pasquali (1718-1757) , Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762) , Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

• Handel: Samson
• Handel: L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55: Mirth, Admit Me of Thy Crew
• Handel: Alexander’s Feast, HWV 75: Softly Sweet in Lydian Measures
• Handel: Alla Caccia "Diana cacciatrice", HWV 79
• Pasquali: The Grand Festino
• Pasquali: The Triumphs of Hibernia: Let Earth and Air and Ocean
• Pasquali: Nymphs of the Springs: Nature First Played Well Her Part
• Geminiani, F: Concerto grosso in D Minor, H. 143, Op. 5 No. 12 "La Folia"
• Purcell: King Arthur, Z. 628, Act V: Fairest Isle

July 2024