I L R I T O R N O D ’ U L I S S E I N PAT R I A
“The rediscovery and translation of ancient classical texts in seicento Italy sparked a desire to recreate Greek musical oration” in early 17th-century Italy they were generally
natural progression of musical events takes
organ, harpsichord, lute, chitarrone (a long-
place which actually liberates the performers:
necked lute), harp, guitar and lirone, without a
the singers take the lead from the text
bowed bass. The beauty of basso continuo is that
and the instrumentalists listen, react, and
because there is only one musical line to work
consequently continue and lead from there.
from, which is not specific to any one instrument, it can be used by any chordal instrument. So this is not music for singer and
As a continuo player, you enjoy the thrill of being able to participate directly in the action: you are the cloud on which the deities descend,
accompanist but for a duo, requiring almost
the agonising cries of the abandoned Ariadne, the
telepathic communication and calling for equal
ancient hymn which inspires Orpheus, the waves
commitment and invention from both. Very
which accompany Penelope’s lament, the clanging
unusually for a modern-day production of an
of swords, the western wind, the dawn, the sun.
early opera, this pioneering Grange Festival
This is visceral music with a ravishing sound
production will be led by the performers rather
world that invites, indeed demands, that the
than a conductor. Monteverdi constructed
performer engages emotionally, physically and
the piece in such a way that if the notation,
philosophically with the music and thus joins
with its highly specific rhythms and changes
the seminal movement which led to a century
of pace and colour, is observed faithfully, a
of experimentation and radical change. Paula Chateauneuf
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