AAM Concerts old

Monteverdi in Venice
Join Academy of Ancient Music in Venice at Martin Randall's festival of Monteverdi’s finest works – in all their pioneering, expressive glory, in the most beautiful city on Earth.

Martin Randall Travel presents a sumptuous festival celebrating the music of Monteverdi in the city which was his creative home for half his life. Between 12-17 November 2026, experience six performances by some of the world's leading interpreters: Academy of Ancient Music, I Fagiolini, Concerto Italiano and Odhecaton, with soloists including Anna Dennis, Ed Lyon, Matthew Long and Nicholas Mulroy.

Performances take place in private palaces, glorious churches and lavishly decorated scuole where Tintoretto and Titian provide sublime backdrops. The festival also includes daily talks by leading early music expert Professor John Bryan plus optional art historical and architectural walks and visits to explore the city.

Academy of Ancient Music gives a concert performance of Monteverdi's shockingly amoral opera L’incoronazione di Poppea on 13 November. This tale of the Emperor Nero's ruthless quest to marry his mistress Poppea is an intense drama of emotional and political brutality, presenting realistically self-obsessed people in situations motivated by sexual lust and political avarice. Featuring Anna Dennis (Poppea) and Ed Lyon (Nero), it will be performed in the spectacular Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista which is not generally open to the public.

This is followed on 14 November by a rather more chivalrous take on humanity: Songs of Love and War, two performances of madrigals from Monteverdi's Book VIII contrasting the heroism of battle and the pathos of unrequited love. Anna Dennis (soprano) and Ed Lyon (tenor) are the soloists at the Ateneo Veneto, whose main hall is decorated with paintings by Veronese and Palma Il Giovane.

BOOK NOW
Fri 13 Nov 26
 | 3:30pm
Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
Venice
Tickets: 
6 day festival from £5,290
Sat 14 Nov 26
 | 11:30am
Ateneo Veneto
Venice
Tickets: 
6 day festival from £5,290
Sat 14 Nov 26
 | 2:30pm
Ateneo Veneto
Venice
Tickets: 
6 day festival from £5,290
Programme
Monteverdi

L’incoronazione di Poppea

Monteverdi

From Madrigals of Love and War, 1638:
Sinfonia, a doi violini e una viola da brazzo
Altri canti d'amor
Hor che'l ciel e la terra (prima parte)
Così sol d'una chiara fonte viva (seconda parte)
Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
Amor, amor from Lamento della Ninfa
Ballo: Movete al mio bel suon

Performers
Anna Dennis
Poppea | soprano
Ed Lyon
Nero | tenor
Academy of Ancient Music
Laurence Cummings
director
Anna Dennis
Ed Lyon
Academy of Ancient Music
Laurence Cummings
Join Academy of Ancient Music in Venice at Martin Randall's festival of Monteverdi’s finest works – in all their pioneering, expressive glory, in the most beautiful city on Earth.

Martin Randall Travel presents a sumptuous festival celebrating the music of Monteverdi in the city which was his creative home for half his life. Between 12-17 November 2026, experience six performances by some of the world's leading interpreters: Academy of Ancient Music, I Fagiolini, Concerto Italiano and Odhecaton, with soloists including Anna Dennis, Ed Lyon, Matthew Long and Nicholas Mulroy.

Performances take place in private palaces, glorious churches and lavishly decorated scuole where Tintoretto and Titian provide sublime backdrops. The festival also includes daily talks by leading early music expert Professor John Bryan plus optional art historical and architectural walks and visits to explore the city.

Academy of Ancient Music gives a concert performance of Monteverdi's shockingly amoral opera L’incoronazione di Poppea on 13 November. This tale of the Emperor Nero's ruthless quest to marry his mistress Poppea is an intense drama of emotional and political brutality, presenting realistically self-obsessed people in situations motivated by sexual lust and political avarice. Featuring Anna Dennis (Poppea) and Ed Lyon (Nero), it will be performed in the spectacular Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista which is not generally open to the public.

This is followed on 14 November by a rather more chivalrous take on humanity: Songs of Love and War, two performances of madrigals from Monteverdi's Book VIII contrasting the heroism of battle and the pathos of unrequited love. Anna Dennis (soprano) and Ed Lyon (tenor) are the soloists at the Ateneo Veneto, whose main hall is decorated with paintings by Veronese and Palma Il Giovane.

BOOK NOW
Fri 13 Nov 26
 | 3:30pm
Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
Venice
Tickets: 
6 day festival from £5,290
Sat 14 Nov 26
 | 11:30am
Ateneo Veneto
Venice
Tickets: 
6 day festival from £5,290
Sat 14 Nov 26
 | 2:30pm
Ateneo Veneto
Venice
Tickets: 
6 day festival from £5,290
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