It is during the first half of the 18th century; under King João V; that Lisbon becomes a modern cosmopolitan center; in great part due...

It is during the first half of the 18th century; under King João V; that Lisbon becomes a modern cosmopolitan center; in great part due to the arrival of gold and diamonds from Brasil. The absolute monarch; who is a devout believer; is committed to representing his power through religion. The Royal Chapel is elevated to the statute of Patriarchal Church in 1716 and emulates the grandiosity of the Roman liturgical ceremonials. Music takes on an important role in this process and we witness the arrival of a great number of Italian musicians who go on to dominate the musical scene in the capital. In its first recording; Real Câmara recreates the spirit of the original Portuguese court orchestra; bringing to life a forgotten repertoire written for performance in Lisbon; from the Divertimenti by Pietro Giorgio Avondano; the Genoese concertmaster of the orchestra; to opera arias by the Portuguese composer Francisco António de Almeida and by the Italian composers Rinaldo di Capua and Giovanni Bononcini.