Concert : Il Giardino d’Amore with soprano Aphrodite Patoulidou at the Intra Muros Festival
We invite you to a concert by the Polish ensemble Il Giardino d’Amore, featuring soprano Aphrodite Patoulidou, as part of the Intra Muros Festival 2026.
For one day, heritage and early music—from the medieval period to the Baroque—come together in a vivid and immersive way. Moving beyond the traditional concert hall setting, the festival offers an accessible and engaging experience, brought to life by international artists and emerging talents in a unique historical setting.
On stage, Il Giardino d’Amore takes the audience on a true musical journey—like a novel full of contrasts, from its opening momentum to an intense and euphoric finale.
The concert, entitled Aphrodite – The Illuminations, features the sunlit dances of Kraków by Jan of Lublin, alongside the vibrant and richly spiced melodies of Szarzyński and Mielczewski, in dialogue with works by Lutosławski and Moniuszko. You will hear a Greek lullaby in conversation with an Icelandic song by Björk and a Kurpie folk melody by Szymanowski. Along the way, you will also encounter Mozart, Ravel, and Britten.
Il Giardino d’Amore, founded in 2012 by violinist and conductor Stefan Plewniak, captivates audiences with its fresh approach to Baroque music. Combining refined performance with modern energy and bold projects (such as Baroque & Pop), the ensemble attracts audiences worldwide.
The group has collaborated with leading vocal stars, including Jakub Józef Orliński and Adèle Charvet, and has performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Mozarteum. Their recordings—including the award-winning album Handel – Enemies in Love—have received international acclaim.
Aphrodite Patoulidou is a Greek soprano who has performed with major orchestras including the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, the SWR Symphonieorchester, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, among many others.
Her operatic roles include Elle (La Voix humaine), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), and Sophie Scholl (Weiße Rose). She has appeared on the stages of the Berlin State Opera, La Monnaie, Teatro Real Madrid, and the Greek National Opera.
Her virtuosic interpretation of Britten’s Les Illuminations with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, conducted by Dalia Stasevska, was widely praised by the press.
CONCERT PROGRAMME:
Traditional chant — Hejnał of Kraków (traditional melody)
Jan of Lublin — Tablature “Rex”
Benjamin Britten — Les Illuminations: Marine – Royalty – Cities
Witold Lutosławski — Silesian Melodies (string quartet): Zalotny – Gaik – Gastor – Rektor
Aphrodite & Nyckelharpa Ypne — Greek Lullaby
Mikołaj Szarzyński — Sonata for two violins and basso continuo
Karol Szymanowski — Uroź Mamo (Kurpie Songs, Op. 58)
Marcin Mielczewski — Canzona for two violins
Maurice Ravel — Five Greek Folk Songs
Stanisław Moniuszko — String Quartet No. 1: Scherzo
Björk — Anchor Song
Matthew Locke — Tempesta – Curtain Tune
Wacław of Szamotuły — Już się zmierzcha
Henry Purcell — The Cold Song
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — O smania! O furie! (from D’Oreste, d’Ajace)
Saturday, August 1, 2026
8:30 PM
Intra Muros Festival
Alden Biesen Castle
Kasteelstraat 6, 3740 Bilzen, Belgium
