A concert titled Prima Donna was held tonight at the Chapelle de la Trinité, honoring Anna Giraud, also known as Anna Girò in Italian. Anna Girò, the daughter of a French wig-maker based in Mantua, was a singer and close collaborator of Antonio Vivaldi, the famous Baroque composer. Vivaldi composed several arias included in the concert program, such as those from the operas Griselda and Bajazet. She was initially called "la petite Anne" (Annina) by a red-haired priest and later earned the nickname "l'Anima del prete rosso," meaning "the very soul of the red-haired priest." She performed in more than a dozen of Vivaldi’s operas and took leading roles in about a dozen of them. The concert began with the motet RV 629, a religious piece required by the chapel's tradition. This was followed by excerpts from the oratorio Juditha triumphans. The evening featured both sacred and secular works by Vivaldi, who was also a Catholic priest and a renowned violinist. The contrast was notable between the somber tone of the initial aria, "Longe mala, umbrae, terrores," and the lively, dance-like energy of the orchestral ensemble, the "Concert de l'Hostel Dieu," conducted by Franck-Emmanuel Comte. Mezzo-soprano Blandine de Sansal displayed vocal control and precision, her movements seemingly still yet full of life through intricate vocal embellishments. After lyrical passages, she performed a recitative and prayer, followed by a powerful "Alleluia" that united the joy of voice and instruments. As the concert progressed, the singer moved from her stand to perform closer to the audience, signaling the shift from sacred to secular music. The emotional depth of opera characters, such as Asteria in "Qual furore, qual affano" from Vivaldi’s Bajazet or Griselda in "Ho il cor già lacero" from Griselda, allowed the performer to break free from the solemnity of the motet or oratorio. Her gestures and facial expressions complemented the musical elements, such as octave leaps, trills, and dynamic changes in volume. In the aria "Sposa son disprezzata" from Merope by Giacomelli, borrowed by Vivaldi, Blandine de Sansal portrayed a "disdained wife, outraged fiancée" with remarkable emotional depth. Her performance, marked by smooth legato phrasing and sustained notes, highlighted the character’s plight without the need for elaborate staging. This moment echoed Anna Girò’s portrayal of the princess of Trebizond in Vivaldi’s works. The dramatic intensity reached its peak in another aria, "Quel guerriero in camp armato" from Idaspe by Broschi, where de Sansal’s speed, articulation, and vocal quality left the audience in awe. For the opening of the 2026-2027 season at the Chapelle de la Trinité, the program also included instrumental pieces. The "andante" from Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in D major RV 222 and the Violin Concerto in D minor RV 127 were performed with skill by first violinist Reynier Guerrero. Aude Walker-Viry performed the Cello Concerto in A minor RV 419 with grace and virtuosity, alongside the "Concert de l'Hostel Dieu."