PRJCT Amsterdam / Maarten Engeltjes

Henry Purcell's ‘The Plaint’ from opera The Fairy-Queen (1692) is one of his most moving and melancholic arias. The music oozes melancholy and longing, enhanced by Purcell's melancholic harmonies and the question-and-answer interplay between vocals and the violin, which work their way straight to the soul.

What also makes this piece special is the way Purcell brings the text to life. He uses word painting - a technique in which the music reflects the meaning of the words. Long, lingering notes emphasise the sadness, while unexpected harmonies make the pain palpable. The melody is simple but meaningful. The distinctive Baroque sound of the basso continuo (by cello, harpsichord and theorbo) provides a subtle but rich foundation that enhances the melancholy of the vocals. It is not easy to remain unmoved by this timeless work.

‘A voice that you want to keep listening to,’ is how de Volkskrant newspaper praised Dutch countertenor Maarten Engeltjes on the occasion of his most recent CD release. Engeltjes’ voice - rounded and soothing, honest and glowing and with that golden edge that elevates ‘beautiful’ to ‘excellent’, Engeltjes' voice has over roughly twenty years taken him to the most renowned opera houses and concert stages. With a passion for Baroque and contemporary repertoire, Engeltjes ensures that during every performance his own wonderment at both well-known and lesser-known masterpieces is also experienced intensely by the audience.

With their debut CD on the Sony record label (Bach: Forgotten Arias), 2019 proved a boom year for the career of baroque orchestra PRJCT Amsterdam. The ensemble, founded in 2017 by countertenor Maarten Engeltjes, is not only a breeding ground for talented musicians, but also a safe haven guaranteeing baroque performances with vision and temperament. With its mix of sweet allure and crystal-clear counterpoint, PRJCT Amsterdam stands for baroque with salt and pepper, which will appeal to both aspiring melomaniacs and connoisseurs.