Music of the Italian Masters: Sight, Sound, Emotion
The Frank V. de Bellis Collection is a library/museum of Italian culture that is a symbolic bridge between Italy and California. California State College Trustees accepted the de Bellis Collection in February 1963 making it the first special collection donated to the California State University system, and it opened to the public at SF State in February 1964.
The performances are part of an exhibit highlighting music holdings dating back to the 1450s including unique manuscripts and unpublished works of the Neapolitan school, first editions of Baroque chamber music, instrumental and vocal music, opera scores and libretti, along with antique instruments and sound recordings of the 20th century.
February 27
Alumni and students perform Alessandro Scarlatti’s oratorio about Cain and Abel, Il primo omicidio (The First Homicide). The de Bellis Collection, housed in the J. Paul Leonard Library, holds the only known manuscript source for this brilliant work for strings, continuo and six solo singers. Performers: Angela Cadelago, Jose Hernandez, Buffy Baggott, Liesl McPherrin, Erin Neff, Eric Alatorre, John Chen, Marilyn Giusti, Chase Spruill, Brooke Parker, Whitney Smith, Ami Nashimoto, Scott Charles Lindorfer and Richard Savino. Directed by Christine Brandes. Supertitles will be included.
February 28
The program includes music and a reception to launch the de Bellis collection exhibit Music of the Italian Masters: Sight, Sound, Emotion featuring treasures from the collection. The concert will feature students and piano Professor Victoria Neve performing works from the Collection. SF State’s ensemble group Ut, Re, Mi will perform 16th-century Magnificats by Giovanni Animuccia (1520–1572) and a cycle of six songs by Fernando Paër (1771–1839) written in 1804. Neve will also play a piece by Clementi on the Clementi Piano Forte.