I Gemelli have released a lively performance video of the opening track of their new album ‘A Room of Mirrors’, which has just been issued.

Composed by Vincenzo Calestani (1589-c1617), Damigella tutta Bella fuses ethereal pastoralism with an air of burlesque comedy which the tenors (Zachary Wilder and Emiliano Gonzalez Toro) and the instrumentalists of I Gemelli are clearly revelling in here.

Along with Mathilde Etienne, Swiss tenor Toro founded I Gemelli – a group specialising in 17th-century vocal music – in 2018. Their approach emphasises the voice as the starting point, from which continuo and orchestra then expand outwards. This is their first album on the brand-new Gemelli Factory label.

Comprising 14 tracks, ‘A Room of Mirrors’ is based on twinned tenor voices, in repertoire representing the peak of the Baroque era. The album - which you can listen to below via Apple Music - was recorded at La Seine Musicale, Boulogne, France, in January 2021.

Welcome to Gramophone ...

We have been writing about classical music for our dedicated and knowledgeable readers since 1923 and we would love you to join them.

Subscribing to Gramophone is easy, you can choose how you want to enjoy each new issue (our beautifully produced printed magazine or the digital edition, or both) and also whether you would like access to our complete digital archive (stretching back to our very first issue in April 1923) and unparalleled Reviews Database, covering 50,000 albums and written by leading experts in their field.

To find the perfect subscription for you, simply visit: gramophone.co.uk/subscribe