Aura Musicale Ensemble

The early music ensemble AURA MUSICALE was founded in 1995 by young baroque instrumentalists who have played together already in many different Hungarian and international chamber music formations. Artistic director is Balázs MÁTÉ, world famous Baroque cello player. The last impulse to found the group was an opera production of „Chi la dura la vince” by Biber during the summer festivals in Salzburg and Innsbruck where the group received enthusiastic critics and reception by the audience for its fiery, rich coloured, humorous and virtuoso playing. Since that time they focus on the music of Central European composers of the Baroque and classical era. The repertoire comprehends the music about 1600-1800 containing a large number of rarities – the fruits of an untiring research and experiment, continously documented on world premiere recordings for HUNGAROTON, and praised by the international press. Their CD with the „7 Bizzarrie, Op.2” by Giuseppe Valentini was honoured with the „Premio del Disco Antonio Vivaldi” given by „Fondazione Cini” Venice. They gave many successful concerts at important early music festivals: „Early Music Days” Würzburg, „Days of Tyrolian Sacred Music”, „Festival Eckardsau”, „Early Music Days” Sopron, „Early Music Forum” Budapest, „Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival” etc. Their concerts and CDs brought them worldwide reputation. In March/April 2004 they toured with „St. John’s Passion” by J.S.Bach in Central Europe – a collaboration with a unique cast of vocal star soloists : Harry van der Kamp, Peter de Groot, Rainer Trost, Markus Schäfer a.o. AURA MUSICALE was the representant of Hungary at the „Europafest” in April 2000 at Klagenfurt (Austria) held for ensembles coming from the new member countries of the European Union. In August 2007 they toured with great success at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (Gerrmany). In June 2008 they brought the B Minor Mass by Bach on tour playing it a.o. at the festival „Musik Meran”. Their next success in 2010 were the performances of „Israel in Egypt” by Haendel and a programme with concerti by Vivaldi, J.S.Bach and contemporaries. Highlights in 2011 were the performance of the oratorio „Il trionfo del tempo” by Haendel, and the CD recording of the „Musical Calendar” by G.J.Werner. 2012 was the year of their debut at the ADMA concert series (Fribourg, Switzerland) and the „Ambraser Schlosskonzerte” in Innsbruck. 2013 followed concerts in Istambul and Eszterháza as well as a tour with „Messiah” (Haendel) in Tyrolia. The highlight of the season 2014 was their debut in the Palce of Arts Budapest with the Brandenburg Concerti and sacred music by JS Bach at the „Bach Marathon”. In 2015 they started a concert series at the Music Academy Budapest. Its highlight were the scenic performances of the opera „Orontea” by A. Cesti in April 2016. The group uses period instruments and is able to play – according to the actual programm - in every possible formations from soloistic to middle large symphonic dimensions.