Initially developed after an intense artistic residency promoted by the Casa de Mateus Foundation in Portugal, the Cappella dei Signori aims to recover the specific sonority of the Portuguese Royal Chapel from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, in which vocal ensembles were formed exclusively by men: a mix of Portuguese singers and Italian castrati.

 

The ensemble, formed mainly by Portuguese and Brazilian singers with international careers, uses a historical Portuguese pronunciation of Latin and meantone temperament. The repertory is formed by sacred works, as well as vernacular works, like the vilancicos. Besides continuo instruments such as organ and violone, some programs may use additional wind and strings instruments such as dulcian, cornetti, sackbuts, Iberian harp and baroque guitar.

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In October 2018, the ensemble performed the program "Pro Sacra & Regia Cappella Serenissimi Brigantiae Ducis" concert, based on the music for the Duque de Bragança chapel in the archives of the Vila Viçosa Palace. In 2019 already participated with two differents polyphonic programs at the Lisbon Early-Music Festival, at Igreja das Chagas.

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Cappella dei Signori

Dir. Ricardo Bernardes 

 

Arthur Filemon - superius

António Lourenço Menezes - superius

Márcio Soares Holanda - altus

Thyago Galvão - altus

Christophe Gautier - tenor

Nuno Raimundo - tenor

João de Barros - tenor 

Pedro Morgado - bassus

Tiago Daniel Mota - bassus

Miron Andrés - violone

Rui Araújo - teorba

Catarina Sousa - harpsichord and organ

Eulalie Poinsignon - organ