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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Fantasticarie: Invention and Fantasy in early 17th century Italy

We seek Continuo Foundation support for Fantasticarie, a bold and richly curated concert project celebrating the dazzling invention of early 17th-century Italian chamber music. The title is drawn from Bellerofonte Castaldi’s 'Capricci a due stromenti cioè tiorba e tiorbino e per sonar solo varie sorti di balli e fantasticarie'. Translated as ‘fantastic pieces’, Fantasticarie perfectly captures the dramatic and capricious style so evident in this rarely performed repertoire.

Led by Prof. Pauline Nobes and Prof. Paula Chateauneuf—renowned performers and leading researchers in the field, the programme brings together seminal voices of the genre, including Uccellini, Fontana, Marini, Castello, Piccinini, and Castaldi himself. Fantasticarie introduces the distinctive sound of 17th century Italy to Manchester’s audiences, where the freedom and improvisatory musical language of this style is scarcely heard.

Fantasticarie will take place on 25th April 2026, at St Ann’s Church Central Manchester, with an expected audience of 200, and features the unusual combination of three violins and theorbo, including one violin played by one of our Early Career Fellowship musicians. These are contrasted with solo theorbo pieces incorporating much more extemporaneous variety and invention than audiences might be used to hearing in later seventeenth century works.

Alongside Castaldi’s aforementioned Fantasticarie Capriccios, programme highlights include:
• Dario Castello’s Sonate concertate in stil moderno, with theorbo unusually scored in both melodic and continuo roles;
• Biagio Marini’s Passacalio a 3, extant in a single incomplete manuscript;
• Marini’s extraordinary Sonata in ecco con tre violini, with performers placed spatially around the Baroque church, capturing the dramatic and theatrical qualities of the style.

Our decision to dedicate an entire concert to the performance of this hugely important genre, with exceptional yet largely unknown composers, carries financial risk to Manchester Baroque. However, it is central to our mission to enrich Manchester’s musical landscape with bold, original programming. Continuo Foundation support would enable us to present music of the highest artistic quality that pushes creative boundaries and elevates historical performance in the North West.

As part of our commitment to access and participation, we will collaborate with the Olympias Foundation, a Manchester charity providing musical opportunities to low-income families, many from global majority backgrounds. On 23rd April 2026, our musicians will lead hands-on workshops for 40 young musicians. Highlights include interactive sessions with Olympias’ guitar ensembles, where children will explore the theorbo and the concert repertoire. They will give a special performance at the concert, joined by their families who will attend as guests.