The Festival Musical de Namur is celebrating its 60th edition this year! For the opening of what promises to be another unmissable classical festival, the Choeur de Chambre de Namur together with the Capella Mediterranea under the inspiring direction of Leonardo García Alarcón, presented an unforgettable concert in the Grand Manège in Namur. The programme featured the majestic Dixit Dominus by Georg Friedrich Händel and the never before performed Messa a 9 voci, concertat con stromenti by Giovanni Paolo Colonna. It was an evening full of musical splendour and glory, which captivated the audience. Baroque music at its finest.
It was a particularly special day for Leonardo García Alarcón. Earlier in the day, he was officially appointed by the mayor of Namur as an international ambassador of the city, in recognition of his years of passionate commitment to classical music in Namur. Largely under his direction, the Choeur de Chambre de Namur and the Capella Mediterranea have grown into internationally renowned ensembles, who have performed outside Namur including at the Palace of Versailles. At his first appearance on stage, García Alarcón was greeted with enthusiastic applause, which set the tone for the rest of the evening.
The performance of Händel's Dixit Dominus was utterly sublime. The Choeur de Chambre de Namur demonstrated with its precise articulation and rich sonority why it ranks among the top chamber choirs. The Capella Mediterranea played with refinement and passion, with García Alarcón's direction ensuring a perfect balance between choir and orchestra. The fiery energy and dramatic dynamics of the work were masterfully conveyed, completely drawing the listeners into Händel's musical world.
After a short break, the audience was treated to Colonna's Messa a 9 voci. Although Colonna is less well-known today, his work was brought to life by the musicians in a way that did justice to the splendour of baroque music. The complexity and richness of Colonna's composition were performed by the ensemble with great precision and emotion. The soloists shone in their parts and the combined singing of voices and instruments was a feast for the ear.
The concert ended with a standing ovation, a well-deserved acknowledgement of the evening's impressive performances. As an encore, the Quoniam tu solus from Colonna's Messa was performed again, a beautiful closing chord that had the audience rising once more for a second standing ovation.
Leonardo García Alarcón and his musicians have provided an unforgettable evening to everyone who was present in the Grand Manège. The appointment as international ambassador of Namur seems more than deserved; his dedication to music and the city was gloriously celebrated on this evening.