BARCA DI VENETIA PER PADOVA | ACADÈMIA CDM | CAPELLA DE MINISTRERS · CARLES MAGRANER | FESTIVAL RENAIXEMENT

La Barca di Venetia per Padova was first printed in Venice in 1605 by Ricciardo Amadino. It is the seventh anthology of secular music by Adriano Banchieri, an Olivetan monk from San Michele at the Bosco Monastery in Bologna, and one of the most renowned composers and music theorists of the early 17th century. Among Banchieri’s works—often described as madrigal comedies—La Barca stands out for its rich and complex narrative framework that surrounds the musical pieces. This fantastic mini madrigal opera, in which humor is almost always present, features a multitude of diverse characters, divided between boatmen and passengers.

Although the version that has survived is incomplete, the work was first published in Venice in 1605. We will hear a version based on a new edition published in 1623, which presents significant differences from the first edition, particularly the incorporation of basso continuo. Regarding the general structure, the first eight numbers and the last two remain in the same order. Initially, between these sections were two closed scenes, which were later merged into one in the second version—that is, first five consecutive madrigals, followed by the Rizzolina episode. The madrigals were reduced to four, of which only two are from the first edition, and their arrangement is different. The Rizzolina scene, in turn, was slightly expanded.

Furthermore, significant changes can be observed in both the text and the musical structure of the pieces. Interspersed throughout the performance, we will hear instrumental pieces by Castello, Marini, Mainerio, Gabrielli, and Frescobaldi, all of which were published in Venice around the time of Banchieri’s edition.