Fandango

About

Antonio Soler’s Fandango, performed at the Opéra de Dijon, was all the rage in the 18th century and swept across Europe with its sensual dance rhythms. No opera buffa worthy of the name resisted slipping some of its accents into the score — not even The Marriage of Figaro. The young Franco‑American harpsichordist Justin Taylor, first prize winner at the 2015 Bruges Competition and nominated as a 2017 Victoires de la Musique “classical discovery,” takes on the exhilarating task of igniting the Auditorium. The program explores the roots and influence of Spanish music across Europe, from Scarlatti’s harpsichord to French baroque variations. The recital features a specific instrument: an Andreas Ruckers harpsichord (1636), rebuilt by Henry Hemsch in 1763, in a copy by Anthony Sidey. This historically informed approach highlights the technical virtuosity and harmonic richness of the selected works.