This weekend we'll share excerpts from our April 2021 Baroque Favorites stream with commentary from our singer soloists. This first one comes from Soprano Nola Richardson:

I’ve always loved singing the gorgeous Domine Deus from Vivaldi’s Gloria, although I have to admit, I find it to be one of those arias that looks straight-forward, but is actually deceptively difficult to sing well! The lilting 12/8 meter and dotted Siciliana rhythms evoke a beautiful pastoral quality while the oboe and soprano solos echo and entwine. I enjoy taking the opportunity to ornament the lines while still maintaining a connection with the elegant simplicity of the long phrases. In our recording session, oboist Diane Lesser and I had fun trying out each other’s embellishments, exploring different tempi, and performing the piece in several different styles. I think that’s the proof of a wonderful composition- it works beautifully with many different approaches! – Nola Richardson, Soprano