In 1610, Monteverdi gave his Vespers for the Virgin in Mantova, before conquering Saint-Mark’s Basilica in Venice. It is the first great religious masterpiece of baroque. It has remained one of the key works in the universal musical heritage. After the genius of Orfeo (1607), the Vespers use its opening fanfare again and confirm Monteverdi as the main composer of his time. Sir John Elliot Gardi...
