Struggling souls

Virtuosity, pathos and theatricality come together in “Anime in lotta”, a recital for countertenor dedicated to the most intense and passionate arias by Georg Friedrich Händel and Antonio Vivaldi, two giants of European Baroque theatre. The protagonist of this musical journey is Nicolò Balducci, a young Italian countertenor of extraordinary sensitivity and stage presence, already appreciated for his refined timbre and communicative power.
The programme, built around a selection of arias from oratorios and operas by the two composers, highlights the many facets of Baroque vocal expression: heroism and fragility, revenge and forgiveness, faith and inner torment. What emerges is a rich and contrasting fresco, in which human passions are reflected in the music with dramatic intensity and theatrical tension.
The title Anime in lotta alludes precisely to this universe of emotional tensions, to those characters that Händel and Vivaldi moulded with psychological acuity and musical ardour: kings and queens, saints and sinners, victims and executioners, united by a song that touches deep and universal chords.
The project involves the performance on historical instruments, with a chamber ensemble that dialogues closely with the solo voice, enhancing the articulation, colours and rhetoric typical of Baroque performance practice. The recital è is suitable for both theatrical settings and concert seasons, and can be introduced by short presentations or insights for the audience.