A highlight of our final 2023 event was a rhapsodic solo by virtuoso harpist Aileen Henry. What a pleasure to invite her back to open Stour 2024 with fabulous colleagues in a tailor-made 17th-century programme of miniatures from Venice and Rome. The programme features two dramatic laments: Carissimi’s bitter ‘Lament of Mary Stuart’, the almost queen of England, and Barbara Strozzi’s Apollo scored for soprano, two violins and basso continuo, one of her most substantial pieces - perhaps as close as this great composer came to writing opera. Claudio Monteverdi - Confitebor tibi Domine (1650) Isabella Leonarda - Ave suavis dilectio Giacomo Carissimi - Lamento di Maria Stuarda Girolamo Frescobaldi - _Toccata _ Julia Doyle - _soprano_ Aileen Henry - _harp_ Toby Carr - _theorbo_ Kinga Ujszaszi & Manami Mizumoto - _violins_ _Followed by Supper at 8pm and Fiesta Flamenco at 9pm. For more information on how to book your meal, visit https://stourmusic.org.uk/food/._