Corelli: The Master and his legacy

Since its formation in 2015 by members of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra with an interest in Baroque, Orpheus Baroque has also become an important platform for some of Sweden’s top Baroque musicians. The ensemble performs on period instruments and since the beginning, violinist Elin Gabrielsson (a member of Italian Europa Galante) has served as concertmaster and cellist Johannes Rostamo (solo cellist of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra) has served as artistic director.

Orpheus Baroque aims to continuously broaden its repertoire and knowledge of the vast scope of Baroque music – which spans over 300 years. This time, we will explore Italian Baroque, with Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713) as the musical hub in order to explore pieces by students and contemporary composers. Corelli, whom Queen Christina of Sweden hired as a musician in Rome, hardly wrote utility music: her rather brief oeuvre is characterised by the connoisseur’s demand for quality and originality.

Orpheus Baroque concerts frequently include top international musicians in early music. The ensemble has previously been conducted by Manfredo Kramer, Dan Laurin, Peter Spissky, Alfredo Bernardini and Luca Guglielmi. At this concert, Orpheus Baroque will perform under the baton of Finnish violinist Kreeta-Maria Kentala – a pioneer of early music in Finland who has also worked with folk music. She was nominated for the 2019 Nordic Council Music Prize.