The great musician will be the absolute protagonist of the new edition of Musica Mirabilis, taking place in the town near Bergamo from August 14 to October 24, 2026, through a series of inspiring concerts, several of which will feature Giovanni Acciai and Ivana Valotti, the creators and artistic directors of the event
Although back in the eighteenth century the Bergamo abbot and man of letters Giovanni Battista Angelini defined Giovanni Legrenzi (1626–1690) as "immortal," and Bach, Handel, and many other illustrious figures of the time admired his music—considering him an author most worthy of a place in the musical Olympus—in our day it can hardly be said that scholars and performers pay consistent attention to this composer, or attention commensurate with his historical and artistic importance.
Faced with a figure of such great stature, the town of Clusone, in the Bergamo region, could not remain indifferent. It had to ensure that the obscurity surrounding its illustrious native son was dispelled. To achieve this, four years ago, the mayor and his council embraced the idea proposed by Giovanni Acciai and Ivana Valotti to dedicate to him Musica Mirabilis, an international music festival aimed at rediscovering and bringing to light Legrenzi's repertoire never performed in modern times. In just over two weeks, this festival will draw some of the finest Baroque singers and instrumentalists to Clusone to fittingly celebrate the fourth centenary of Giovanni Legrenzi's birth, which took place in Clusone during the first decade of August 1626.
Son of Angela Rizzi and Giovanni Maria—a violinist at the local Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta—Giovanni Legrenzi perhaps received his first musical instruction from his father. What is certain is that he must have displayed exceptional musical talent early on, since between 1639 and 1643 he was admitted to the Academy of Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo to prepare for Holy Orders and complete his musical training. Deemed qualified to serve as organist of the basilica, he fulfilled this role with such brilliance that he was repeatedly reappointed over the following six years and admitted into the local Accademia degli Eccitati.
Instead, on December 30, 1654, the church’s board of directors abruptly dismissed him on the spot, perhaps after he was caught gambling in a sketchy tavern in Bergamo. This prompted his move to Ferrara in October 1656 and his appointment as maestro di cappella of the local Accademia dello Spirito Santo. Under Legrenzi's direction, this institution experienced what was perhaps one of the most brilliant periods in its history, both for the quality of the music performed there (much of it composed by the maestro from Clusone) and for the calibre of the singers and instrumentalists involved. Having left Ferrara in 1665, he sought employment—unsuccessfully—at the Habsburg court in Vienna and the Farnese court in Parma. In 1668, he might have moved to Paris to the court of Louis XIV, had a serious illness not prevented him from doing so. Nor did he fare any better the following year in Milan in his attempt to succeed Michel Angelo Grancini as maestro di cappella of the cathedral. Furthermore, his two petitions in September 1671 and October 1673 to the Fabbriceria (vestry board) of the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna to obtain a similar position proved equally unsuccessful.
Following these fruitless attempts, towards the end of 1670, Legrenzi moved to Venice to serve as music master at the Ospedale dei Derelitti (or dei Poveri) and, six years later, in a similar capacity at the Ospedale dei Mendicanti. In that same year, he competed to succeed Francesco Cavalli as maestro di cappella of St. Mark’s, but preference was given to Natale Monferrato, then vice-master of the St. Mark's chapel. In January 1681, he replaced Antonio Sartorio, taking over his duties as vice-master under Monferrato. Upon Monferrato's passing, on April 23, 1685, he finally secured the position that had been held by Claudio Monteverdi forty years earlier. Legrenzi died in Venice on May 27, 1690, and was buried in Santa Maria della Fava. Thus ended the earthly existence of an extraordinary musician, who possessed the rare ability to embody the defining characteristics of an entire era—the Baroque—and to synthesize them all within his creative art.
The concert repertoire for this year’s edition of Musica Mirabilis—the Centenary Edition—presents a garland of Legrenzi's masterpieces truly deserving of being brought back to the public's attention. The program draws exclusively from the repertoire of Giovanni Legrenzi, with performances given on period instruments and informed by the latest historical performance practice.
The opening concert will take place on August 14 in the Basilica of Clusone, featuring the modern premiere of the solemn Vespers Assumpta est Maria in caelum, from Sacri e festivi concenti, Op. 9 (Venice, 1667). The performance will be given by the Collegium vocale et instrumentale Nova Ars Cantandi, La Pifarescha, More Antiquo, and Ivana Valotti on the organ. Serving as concertmaster and director will be Giovanni Acciai, the world’s leading specialist and scholar of Giovanni Legrenzi's musical works.
The festival runs through October 24, 2026, offering a program of nine concerts. Among these are performances by Valentina Ferrarese and the ensemble Il Parrasio (The Hague), winners of First Prize in the "Baroque Singing" and "Ensemble Instrumental Music" categories, respectively, at the 2025 "Giovanni Legrenzi" International Competition. A highly anticipated event is the international conference organized by the Italian Musicological Society for September 26–27, featuring eight presentations by leading experts in the field.
The concerts are also the artistic core of a broader initiative that encompasses regional promotion, educational pathways, and community engagement. To this end, "open rehearsals" are being organized, along with thematic guided tours—including tours in Italian Sign Language (LIS)—and activities for children. Furthermore, the 2026 edition will be enriched by an event of extraordinary cultural and symbolic value: on July 27, Clusone’s Millennium Celebration will be entirely dedicated to the festival, reenacting the most significant episodes of Legrenzi's life. Musica Mirabilis not only restores Legrenzi to his rightful place in history but also reminds us how the language of music serves as a strategic element for social unity and emotional engagement—a way to share Clusone with the world through its most illustrious composer.
Andrea Bedetti
Festival Program
Clusone, August 14, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta
Giovanni Legrenzi, Solemn Vespers Assumpta est Maria in caelum from Sacri e festivi concenti, for double choir, two violins, alto viola, tenor viola, bass viola, and basso continuo, Op. 9 (Venice, 1667), Nova Ars Cantandi, La Pifarescha, More Antiquo, Ivana Valotti (organ) – Giovanni Acciai (conductor)
Clusone, August 22, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Church of the Beata Vergine del Paradiso
The Graces of Legrenzi: Sacred and Instrumental Music by Legrenzi and His Contemporaries, Ensemble La Fenice, Jean Tubéry (cornett and conductor)
Clusone, August 29, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Church of the Beata Vergine del Paradiso
Giovanni Legrenzi, Echoes of Devotion (Echi di devozione), Armonices Mundi, Claudio Astronio (harpsichord, organ, and conductor)
Clusone, September 5, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Church of San Defendente
Giovanni Legrenzi, Church Sonatas (Sonate da chiesa), Op. 4 and Op. 8,
Ensemble Legrenzi (Luca Giardini and Pietro Battistoni, violins; Marco Frezzato, cello; Ivana Valotti, organ)
Clusone, September 19, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Church of San Defendente
Recital by Valentina Ferrarese, First Prize Winner at the 2025 "Giovanni Legrenzi" International Baroque Singing Competition of Clusone
Clusone, September 26, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Church of the Beata Vergine del Paradiso
Le concert de la nuit: A Sacred Concert in the Time of Legrenzi, Nova Ars Cantandi, Ensemble Legrenzi, Ivana Valotti (organ), Giovanni Acciai (conductor)
Clusone, September 26–27, 2026 – 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Legrenzi Hall, Palazzo Marinoni Barca
International Musicological Conference on Giovanni Legrenzi and His Time, organized by the Italian Musicological Society (Società Italiana di Musicologia)
Clusone, October 4, 2026 – 4:00 PM
Church of the Beata Vergine del Paradiso
Concert by Ensemble Parrasio (The Hague), First Prize Winner at the 2025 "Giovanni Legrenzi" International Instrumental Ensemble Competition of Clusone
Clusone, October 17, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Church of San Defendente
Giovanni Legrenzi, Devout Acclamations (Acclamazioni devote), Fulvio Bettini (baritone), Davide Pozzi (harpsichord and organ), Diego Cantalupi (theorbo)
Clusone, October 24, 2026 – 8:45 PM
Church of the Beata Vergine del Paradiso
Giovanni Legrenzi, La morte del cor penitente (Venice, 1673), Nova Ars Cantandi, Ensemble Legrenzi, Ivana Valotti (organ and harpsichord), Giovanni Acciai (conductor)
Information at www.musicamirabilis.eu
