Ensemble Irini

When Constantinople fell in 1453, Guillaume Dufay and the Byzantine composer Manuel Chrysaphes each composed a poignant lament on opposite sides of the Mediterranean. In Janua, the adventurous Ensemble Irini links these two distinct musical worlds and takes you on a journey through a unique and little-known period: the final attempt to unite East and West in the fifteenth century. Under the direction of Lila Hajosi, the ensemble weaves its way between Dufay’s monumental motets and Byzantine musical treasures by Chrysaphes and Iannis Plousiadenos. Supported by the inspiring sound of medieval trumpets and Baroque trombones, they bring the past vividly to life.