Antonio Literes was one of the most popular composers of the Baroque period in Spain. His name waned with the passage of time, but fortunately, he is enjoying something of a revival in the 21st century.

As we previously announced, the New York City Opera performed Literes’s opera Los Elementos this year. The production was advised by the Foundation for Iberian Music’s director, Antoni Pizà, who is the author of the only monograph available on Literes. Los Elementos  was also performed this spring at Paschaliskerk in the Hague (Netherlands), by La Academia de los Nocturnos.

In 2018, the Fundación Juan March will sponsor a production of Los Elementos at Madrid’s Teatro de la Zarzuela. Performances will be held the 9th–16th of April. (And don’t forget, Fundación Juan March will unveil its 2017-2018 season on September 19th, with a live stream on their website.)

More than just Los Elementos has received attention. Two other works were performed at  the Festival de Música Renacentista y Barroca de Vélez Blanco, on July 25: Miserere, recently edited and published by Antoni Pons, and the villancico Mortales, gozad. This villancico (a Spanish form of cantata) was unearthed in Guatemala Cathedral by none other than Antoni Pizà. It was performed at Iglesia Parroquial de Santiago by El Parnaso Español with coro Tomás Luis de Victoria. 

The ensemble Forma Antiqua  recently performanced another cantata, Déjame, tirano dios, twice in Spain, first in Oviedo (on April 4) and then in Leon (May 5).

An edition of all of Literes’s cantatas will soon be available. Further performances of these cantatas are expected in Australia, with additional performances TBD. Stay posted for details.