Carissimi / Armonia Celeste

Rebel Queen Carissimi / Armonia Celeste

Queen Christina (1626-1689), first as the Queen of Sweden, and then at her residence in exile after her abdication at the age of 30, surrounded herself by musicians, writers, and scholars. This album features works that would have been played at her court and later residence. Many of the works feature three female voices; all performances are on period instruments. Delighting audiences around the country with their spirited performances, Armonia Celeste specializes in rarely heard repertoire from the Italian Renaissance and early Baroque, accompanied by period instruments: lute, theorbo, guitar, and the rare Baroque triple harp. Together, the musicians of Armonia Celeste create an unforgettable combination of varied vocal and instrumental colors, florid ornamentation, expressiveness, and an infectious passion for this repertoire.