Vivaldi’s four seasons are among the best-known works of the baroque period. Less well known are the Italian sonnets which the composer penned to introduce the concertos. Originally read before each concerto, the sonnets were intended to “explain the music more easily” - “voice and verse” combined in a harmonious celebration of nature. The AAM return to Vivaldi’s idea with the help of radiant soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, who performs arias celebrating the seasons alongside each of the four concertos.

“There may be ensembles that articulate the pleasures of Baroque repertoire more persuasively than the Academy of Ancient Music, but I highly doubt it. The vast and furious catalogue of satisfactions heard last night was enough to send specialists and lay listeners alike into giddy shivers of delight.” Louisville Courier-Journal 2008