Vanessa Heinisch

How many times have orchestra musicians longingly said “We really should …” during the coffee break? Lutenist Vanessa Heinisch took those aspirations to heart and founded Il Giratempo in 2017, with whom she and her favorite colleagues – and their favorite colleagues – bring the projects of their dreams to life.
“Il Giratempo” – the time traveler – won’t take you back to bygone centuries. The ensemble aims to shake up the present day with its treasure trove from the past. Within a short time, the new ensemble has appeared at many prestigious festivals, including the Händelfestspielen in Göttingen and Halle, where they turned Handel’s opera inside out in 2023 with a chamber version of Agrippina featuring jazz trumpet player Pascal Klewer, delighting both audience and critics.
As a coalition of colleagues and friends chosen from Germany’s leading baroque ensembles, Il Giratempo combines historical performance practice with innovative programs and concepts – in chamber formation or as an orchestra. Cooperations with musicians from other musical genres inspire the ensemble to see early music in a modern light.
Together with the label Perfect Noise, the ensemble has already produced two CDs that document their dynamic endeavors: “Witches, Queens & Heroines”, Handel arias with Margriet Buchberger (soprano) and the crossover album “Talkin´about Barbara – 17th Century Jazz”, music from Barbara Strozzi’s world with Laila Salome Fischer (mezzo- soprano) und Magnus Mehl (saxophone). And the next chapters are already being written...