The chamber music of Giovanni Maria Ruggieri and operatic arias by Antonio Vivaldi will be explored in this programme. Ruggieri is a little known Venetian composer that was an important influence on Vivaldi; he is believed to have stolen a large sum of money to fund the production of his first opera in 1694. Two arias from Vivaldi’s opera Orlando of 1727 will be a cornerstone of the concert: the challenging lyrical aria for solo flute and countertenor ‘Sol da te mio dolce amore’ and the famed feat of coloratura ‘Sorge l’irato nembo’. Commentary will be offered through-out exploring the connections between these two men and their music.