Buon anno! For at least three hundred years, Venice has been synonymous with carnival in our imaginations. The myth of the city built on a blue lagoon has endured since the time of Casanova, although by then its glory was already in its final decline. We invite you to the National Forum of Music, where, through music – gondoliers’ songs and Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons – we will be transported to an era of decadent revelry. The artistry of Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, led by Jarosław Thiel, will be accompanied by the charisma of mandolinist Avi Avital and Núria Rial, with her crystal soprano.

In the first half of the 18th century, everything Venetian enjoyed the attention of elites from various corners of Europe. The city portrayed by Canaletto captivated with its music, too. Many travellers remember the peculiar custom of nighttime concerts, especially by bands sailing on boats. The Canzoni di battello, mostly anonymous and sung in the still-living Venetian language, had diverse themes. However, these were not the only works resounding in the lagoon. Besides St Mark’s Basilica, opera houses, and Andrea Palladio’s churches, high-quality music could also be heard in orphanages known as ospedali.

One of these, located on the Riva degli Schiavoni, was where Father Antonio Vivaldi worked for many years. On New Year’s Eve, you will hear four of Vivaldi’s famous concertos, in which he successfully illustrated the transformations that govern nature as he knew it: Le quattro stagioni. The solo parts of these immortal works will be performed by Avi Avital, which means they will gain a new dimension, the solo violin part having been transcribed for mandolin. This internationally recognised virtuoso specialises in early music and folk sounds from around the world and records for Deutsche Grammophon. Núria Rial, a Catalan artist and one of the visionaries of historically informed Baroque music performance, will perform canzonas – lyrical songs by an anonymous composer. All you have to do is don your richly painted mask and let the fun begin!