Produced by : Festival Bach Montréal

Accademia de’ Dissonanti

Sonia Prina, contralto

The Italian contralto Sonia Prina made her debut at La Scala in 1998 at the age of 23 in the role of Rosina alongside a young Juan Diego Florez. Recognized for her deep and agile voice, she quickly turned to the Baroque repertoire. Particularly appreciative of Handel’s work, she has embodied several emblematic characters of his operas such as Bradamante (Alcina), Polinesso (Ariodante), Bertarido (Rodelinda) and the title role in Giulio Cesare. Equally at home in the Romantic and Post-Romantic repertoire, she has distinguished herself in the role of Mistress Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff.

The Accademia de’ Dissonanti, founded in 2020 by cellist and gambist Elinor Frey, is both an instrumental ensemble and an artistic institution. It presents concerts, educational activities, and publications focused on historically informed performance and research-creation.

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)
Concerto for strings in D minor, RV 127
Stabat Mater, RV 621
Concerto for strings in C major RV 114 (excerpts)
In Furore iustissimae irae, RV 626

Georg Muffat (1653 – 1704)
Sonata No. 5 in G major “Armonico Tributo” (excerpts)

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
Cantata Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54

Sonia Prina, contralto

Mélisande McNabney, Harpsichord/organ/Artistic Director
Alexander Read, Violin I leader
Olivier Brault, Violin I
Julie Rivest, Violin II leader
Jessy Dubé, Violin II
Valérie Arsenault, Viola
Amina Tebini, Viola
Elinor Frey, Cello
Shanti Nachtergaele, Contrabass
Mary Chalk, Bassoon