September 7, Saturday, 7 pm
Palace of the Grand Dukes, Katedros a. 4
Le Jeu de Robin et Marion
Music at the Angevin Court in Naples in the 13th century:
Secular play by Adam de la Halle (c.1237–c.1288)
Ensemble MICROLOGUS | Italy, France
- Patrizia Bovi – voice (Marion), harp, buccina
- Gabriele Russo – medieval fiddle, buccina
- Goffredo Degli Esposti – shawm, pipe and tabor, flutes, bagpipe
- Enea Sorini – voice (Tenor, Chevalier, Baudon), percussion
- Olivier Marcaud – voice (Triplum, Robin) percussion
- Simone Sorini – voice (Duplum, compagnie), guinterna
- Leah Stuttard – harp, Storyteller
Adam de la Halle, one of the most original 13th-century truvers, was a poet and musician. His works were known not just in his hometown of Arras in Northern France, but in many other royal courts of French and Italian kings as well. Having completed his art studies at university in Paris, he departed for Italy where he served as the minstrel of Charles I of Naples, and so, his works started to combine the traditions of Arras truvers and jugglers and pastourelle-style Italian lyrical verse. It was in Naples in around 1283 that his Le Jeu de Robin et Marion was written, and is considered the first music drama in music history – the precursor to the earliest forms of opera and operetta. The storyline is about the meeting between the stunning shepherdess Marion and the knight, who was out hunting, while the play itself comprises of traditional folk songs, Italian dances, games, all to the accompaniment of various medieval instruments. The ensemble Micrologus are considered one of the most prominent pioneers in medieval music performance. This concert shall also mark the birth of opera in Lithuania, which will be celebrated at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania on September 4.