A young graduate of the Royal Welsh College is set to join the Unicorn Singers for the annual summer concert at St Peter’s Church Llanwenarth Citra this year.

St Peter’s Summer Concert takes place at the church on Saturday starting at 7pm, and the Unicorn Singers from Llangattock will be delighting the audience again with a concert of music by two supreme Venetian composers of the turn of the 17th century: Barbara Strozzi and Claudio Monteverdi in a programme of music called Loves’ Labyrinth: Venetian Love Letters

Both composers were pioneers of a new dramatic style that can still pack a punch today. Barbara Strozzi’s music is quite rightly becoming better known. It is well suited to expressing the joys and trials of lovers. Interestingly, Strozzi had more works published in her lifetime that her more illustrious contemporary, Monteverdi.

Pieces from Monteverdi’s extraordinary books of madrigals provide the complementary highlight in the programme. Their bold use of dissonance and word painting was groundbreaking and paved the way for many musical developments in music history.

Also joining them will be a young soprano Maisie, O’Shea a specialist in this early baroque style and an avid advocate of overlooked women composers. She brings that all important element of vocal display and dramatic intensity that is so much a feature of this repertoire, so do come and be transported to the delights and indulgent world of Italian romance.

As usual, the church will be providing delicious food during the interval where you can also make use of the liquid refreshments available. What better way to spend a summer evening, listening to beautiful music in a lovely country church and enjoying the delights of the Usk valley?

Tickets are available on-line via The Unicorn Singers website www.unicornsingers.co.uk , in the Tithe Barn Abergavenny or by phoning Pip Hassall on 01873 857392