Prometheus and the Barber's Son

Alison Kinder

David Hatcher

Linda Sayce

Philip Thorby

Sylvestro di Ganassi dal Fontego, the son of a barber from Bergamo, became the most famous instrumentalist in Venice. As well as being a “sonator” (instrumentalist) for the Doge, Sylvestro taught noble amateurs, was a noted painter and wrote three books on playing the recorder and viols. He worked with the great Adriaan Willaert, maestro di cappella at St Mark’s, whom he described as “the new Prometheus of divine harmony”. Our programme celebrates the ambitious and passionate barber’s son and the grave Flemish composer – two very different characters playing out their lives in the chapels, court and chambers of the Serenissima.