Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 are problematic. Scholars have failed to establish exactly why the work was written or indeed whether it should even be regarded as a unified piece… The music brings with it an extraordinarily wide range of issues, from duplication of material to the potential freedoms created by lack of specific instructions. Performers have long been happy to confront these, and music lovers have been equally enthusiastic to turn out in large numbers for performances. Friday’s performance, which took place at St Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny as part of the Kilkenny 400 celebrations, was no exception. (The Irish Times) Read the rest of the review…