NEW RELEASED FRESCOBALDI CD-BOX 

Francesco Cera, harpsichordist, organist and conductor, is regarded as one of Italy’s leading early music specialist, internationally recognized for his performances of 17th and 18th century keyboard music, as well as conductor of Italian vocal repertoire.

Cera s’attache aux tourments intérieurs…il privilége la profondeur, avec un art achevé de la construction [Frescobaldi: Toccate, Capricci, Fiori Musicali. Arcana]
Vincent Genvrin – Diapason, February 2020. 5 Diapasons

…un produit de premier choix, depuis la beauté du coffret avec la reproduction de tableaux anciens … jusqu’à l’interprétation humaine et émouvante de Francesco Cera, portée par les sonorités colorées des différents claviers. [Frescobaldi: Toccate, Capricci, Fiori Musicali. Arcana]
Frèdèric Muñoz – Resmusica.com 21.12.2019

Della musica del ferrarese Cera è uno dei più autorevoli e affidabili interpreti. Un riconoscimento conquistato grazie a un approccio e ad una cifra esecutiva molto personale. [Frescobaldi: Toccate, Capricci, Fiori Musicali. Arcana]
Massimo Zegna – Amadeus, november 2019. “A di Amadeus”

Francesco Cera is one of Italy’s most prominent keyboard players. His playing is superb. He has a good feeling for the refinement and elegance of d’Anglebert’s music.
Music Web International, april 2016 “Recording of the month”

Francesco Cera è oggi uno dei più validi e talentosi clavicembalisti e organisti.
Nicoletta Sguben – Amadeus, january 2006

He gets under the skin of the music with great perception. He identifies strongly with the historical Italian organ.
Anne Bond – Choir and Organ, may 2003

Francesco Cera is one example of a virtuoso musician with an extensive cultural training. His performance is clean and passionate.
Dinko Fabris – Goldberg, february 2000 

 

 

News

September 2019

FRESCOBALDI
Toccate – Capricci – Fiori Musicali
Francesco Cera harpsichord and organ 
A 7-CD box issued by label Arcana (Outhere Music)

link to Arcana web-page

The 7-CD box set includes the four keyboard collections by Girolamo Frescobaldi, which have left the greatest mark on the history of music.
Francesco Cera, today recognized as one of the leading specialists in Frescobaldi, has recorded part of the music in the excellent acoustics of the Sala della Vigna in the Delizia di Belriguardo, the summer residence of the Este dukes.
Cera has chosen nine priceless instruments, including the Guglielmi organ of 1615 in the church of Santa Maria in Vallicella in Rome, and a copy of the harpsichord by Nicolò Albana, Naples 1584.
The art historian Denis Grenier has been entrusted with the task of illustrating seven works of art that testify to the link between the music of Frescobaldi and the art in Rome of his time.

 

WATCH THE VIDEO

review of D’INDIA: MUSICHE A UNA E DUE VOCI. Brilliant Classics 

Cera le ha interpretate assieme ai componenti dell’Ensemble Arte Musica assecondando il più possibile il senso poetico delle frasi, cercando di trasformare i brani in microdrammi e in tenebrose discese nel melanconico mondo spirituale dell’autore.

MASSIMO R. ZEGNA on the magazine AMADEUS, April 2019

The recent Correa de Arauxo’s recording has received a “five stars” award on the Italian magazine MUSICA

 

MOST RECENTLY ISSUED (2018)

Sigismondo D’India (1580c.-1629) MUSICHE A UNA E DUE VOCI
Ensemble Arte Musica. Francesco Cera
Lucia Napoli and Damiana Pinti soprano. Andrés Montilla-Acurero and Riccardo Pisani tenor. Francesco Tomasi theorbo and guitar.
Silvia de Maria viola da gamba and lirone. Francesco Cera harpsichord.
1 CD BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95634

 

Francisco Correa de Arauxo (1584-1654) ORGAN MUSIC
Francesco Cera plays the Renaissance organ in Garrovillas de Alconétar (Extremadura-Spain).
2 CDs BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95508

Concerts

2020

February 25
Matera – Conservatorio E.R.Duni
Masterclass with prof. Francesco Cera (harpsichord) Enzo De Filpo (piano) and Maria Antonietta Cancellaro (history of music).                                                 “Bach Wohltemperierte klavier, first volume: history, analysis, performance”. First session.
Second session on April 21

February 29
Paris – Théâtre de l’Alliance Française. 4 p.m.
Francesco Cera plays works of Girolamo Frescobaldi and gives an interview to Clément Rochefort, broadcasted live by Radio France for the radio program “Générations France Musique, le live”

March 21/22
Malborghetto – International Symposium
“A colpi di tasto” 
Masterclass with Francesco Cera
“New perspectives in performance of Frescobaldi’s harpsichord works”

March 28
Milano – Chiesa di San Maurizio “Vespri Musicali”
Francesco Cera plays the Antegnati 1554 organ, and Giani 2017 harpsichord after anonymous 16th century Venice
“Frescobaldi: Toccate – Capricci – Fiori Musicali”

April 18
Tallinn (Estonia) – Harpsichord Festival
Francesco Cera harpsichord
works by Frescobaldi, Froberger, L.Couperin

May 24
Fresnes (France – Île-de-France)
Festival “L’ Art de la Fugue”
Francesco Cera plays the 1768 anonymous Spanish organ from Buenafuente del Sistal
works by Frescobaldi, Correa de Arauxo, Storace

June 21
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (France – Occitanie)
Abbaye de Gellone
“Fēte de la Musique”
Francesco Cera plays the organ built by Jean-Pierre Cavaillé in 1789
“Entre chromatisme et fantaisie” works by Frescobaldi, L.Couperin and Froberger

July 23-26
Grimstad (Norway) – Fjaere church
Frescobaldi Akademiet
Masterclass with Francesco Cera and Leòn Berben
“Girolamo Frescobaldi and Johann Jakob Froberger”

July 26
Grimstad (Norway) – Fjaere curch
Frescobaldi Akademiet
Recital by Francesco Cera, organ and harpsichord
“All the roads lead to Rome”
works by Palestrina, Bull, Merulo, Philips, Frescobaldi, Froberger, Kerll, Pasquini, Muffat

September 1
Utrecht (The Nederlands) – Festival Oude Muziek
Harpsichord recital by Francesco Cera
works by Girolamo Frescobaldi

 

2019

February 24
Miglionico (Matera) – Chiesa Madre
Francesco Cera plays the Giuseppe Rubino organ 1749
works by A. Gabrieli, M. A. Cavazzoni, G. Segni, C. Merulo, B. Storace

March 2
Commessaggio (Mantova) – Chiesa di S. Albino 
Francesco Cera plays the Lingiardi 1840 organ
works by Handel, Martini, Soler, Bellini, Padre Davide

March 28
Reggio Emilia – Chiesa di Santa Teresa
Francesco Cera organ, Carlotta Caimi narrator
“Misticismo Spagnolo” works by Correa de Arauxo, lectures by Santa Teresa de Avila and Juan de la Cruz

April 8, 9
Roma – Pontificio Istituto di Musica Sacra
Francesco Cera organ
Master class. Toccate and Capricci by Girolamo Frescobaldi

April  9
Roma – Chiesa di San Giovanni dei Fiorentini
Francesco Cera plays the Alari 1690 organ
works by Trabaci, Correa de Arauxo, Frescobaldi, Rossi

May 5
Bellinzona (Switzerland) – Chiesa Collegiata – Festival Antegnati
Francesco Cera plays the organ by Antegnati 1588 and Bossi 1810
“Barocco tra Spagna e Italia” works by Frescobaldi, Correa de Arauxo, Pasquini, Cabanilles, Scarlatti, Soler

May 18
Sintra (Portugal) – Palacio Nacional de Sintra
Ensemble Arte Musica. Francesco Cera harpsichord and conductor. Lucia Napoli e Damiana Pinti mezzo-soprano, Andrès Montilla-Acurero e Ricardo Pisani tenors, Silvia De Maria viola da gamba and lirone, Francesco Tomasi theorbo and guitar
“Recitar Cantando” works by Monteverdi, D’India, Frescobaldi, Kapsberger

July 2-5
Torrazza (Imperia) – Pieve di San Giorgio
Master class with Francesco Cera on the organ by Ciurlo 1787
works by Claudio Merulo and Francisco Correa de Arauxo

July 26-28
Grimstad (Norway) – Fjaere church
Master class with Francesco Cera on the Ponzani 2017 organ after Bonifazi 1638
“Fiori Musicali” by Girolamo Frescobaldi

August 9
Corsanico (Lucca) – S.Michele’s church
Francesco Cera plays the Colonna 1602 – Tronci 1899 organ
“Misticismo e Teatro spirituale tra Italia e Spagna” works by Bruna, Correa de Arauxo, Frescobaldi, Pasquini

October 18
Roma – Biblioteca Vallicelliana
Sandro Cappelletto presents Francesco Cera’s new Frescobaldi CD-box issued by label Arcana. Introduction by Sabina Alfonsi, president of the Primo Municipio of Rome

October 26
Siena – Palazzo Pubblico. Accademia Musicale Chigiana
Francesco Cera plays the Giovanni Piffaro organ 1519
“The Organ at European Courts” works by A. Gabrilei, Frescobaldi, Cabezon, Hofheimer, Scheidt, Aston, Attaingnant

November 16
Herne (Germany) – Tage Alter Musik 2019
Ensemble Arte Musica
Lucia Napoli and Daniela Salvo soprano
Andres Montilla Acurero and Riccardo Pisani tenors
Francesco Tomasi theorbo, Silvia de Maria viola da gamba and lirone
Francesco Cera conductor and solo harpsichord
works by Girolamo Frescobaldi and Sigismondo D’India

Concerts 2018

Concerts 2017

Concerts 2016