Mercurius Academy

Mercurius Company and Palazzo Migliazzi are delighted to announce the launch of ‘Mercurius Academy’, a project focused on Historically Informed Performance offering conservatoire undergraduate and postgraduate individual students (and those semi-professional musicians at similar level) an opportunity to develop a week-long artistic residency programme under the tutelage of harpsichordist, musical director, Baroque dancer, and choreographer Ricardo Barros (ARAM, PhD, Diploma RAM, Cert GSMD, BMus).

Open to instrumentalists and singers, the aim of the programme is to equip those embarking on a professional career with a cross-pollinized artistic approach, the experience of developing new partnerships, and an intensive week of training, while also offering them an international performance platform.

The residential week will be developed based on a repertoire initially proposed by the applicant (to which Mercurius Academy might suggest additions or modifications), which should focus on pieces for one instrument/voice with accompaniment. The week will consist of circa 5hr daily sessions of tutorials/rehearsal over 4-5 days, totalling 20hrs. The intensive week will culminate in two public performances at historical churches in Frugarolo (Chiesa della MAdonna del Carmine, 1740) and Casale Monferrato (Chiesa di Santa Caterina, 1726).

A preference for the following repertoire (although not exclusively) is given:

French Baroque (17th and early 18th centuries)
Stylus Fantasticus and l’Alto Barocco
Bach
English Restoration
Baroque suites (dance movements)
Italian and French cantatas (early 18th century)
17th- early 18th-century Italian, French and English arias (including those with orchestral accompaniment)

The programme particularly welcomes multi-instrumentalists/singers who might also possess advanced Baroque Dance skills and wish to further develop them in light of the chosen musical repertoire. Singers who might wish to work on Baroque gestures are also welcome.

The artistic residency programme offers free tutorials, accommodation and boarding at historical Palazzo Migliazzi in Frugarolo, Italy [unfortunately no travel bursaries or artistic fees for performances are currently being awarded].

The 2027 programme will run from early March to late October, and it is expected to welcome 4 or 5 residents (in distinct residencies) in total. Please indicate availability/preference for the following residency dates:

For applications, please send a resumé and a reel (link to an outside site/cloud storage) also indicating available dates to info@mercuriuscompany.com