Seicento’s tenth anniversary concert will explore the Italian intermedii or intermezzi of the late Renaissance, which clearly influenced Monteverdi’s musical style. These musical interludes, which included theatrics and dance, were the precursors of early baroque opera in Italy and continued into the 17th century in the Italian arts Academies. They were traditionally performed between the acts of a play to celebrate weddings and other special occasions in Italian courts in cities such as Florence and Ferrara, and they offer a fascinating insight into the opulent world of the Italian courts around 1600.