Il Erice International Festival of Ancient Music, organized by MeMAis enriched with other unmissable events. On August 18th, at 9 pm, the suggestive Palazzo Sales, in Erice will be the setting for “Orpheus Britannicus – In the Stars with Diamonds”.
A musical monologue that will lead to the discovery of Henry Purcell, the brilliant English composer of the 17th century. Through words and music, it will be possible to experience the atmosphere of 17th-century London, between plagues, fires and political revolutions, exploring the life and work of the man who is considered one of the greatest English composers of all time.
The star of the evening will be Raffaele Schiavo, a multifaceted artist in the role of Henry Purcell who reveals himself to the audience in an unprecedented and surprising way.
Accompanying him on this musical and theatrical journey will be Andrea Lizarraga on violin, Luca Ambrosio on harpsichord and Piero Cartosio on recorder. Together, they will perform pieces by Purcell and his contemporaries, including John Blow, Matthew Locke and Nicola Matteis, creating a sound fresco that will transport us to the heart of the English Baroque.
The show, conceived by Piero Cartosio, in co-production with the Sicilian Baroque Orchestra combines music, theater and history. The International Festival of Ancient Music will stage “The Combat of Tancredi and Clorinda” by Claudio Monteverdi in the coming days. Organized in collaboration with Musicamente. Direction, scenes, lights and costumes are by Danilo Coppola.
Carmine De Amicis as assistant director will support the main director, offering his creative support. At the same time, as choreographer, he will give life to the moments of dance and scenic movement with the dancers Gaspare Romano and Monica Tedesco.
The performance, which will take place on August 24th, at 9:00 pm at the Cloister of the Wigner San Francesco Institute of the Ettore Majorana Foundation, will feature Salvo Piparo and the Arianna Art Ensemble, in a fusion of Baroque music and the Sicilian tradition of cunto.
Director Danilo Coppola has conceived a staging that emphasizes the eternal conflict between love and war. His director’s notes describe a geometric platform that evokes ancient battles, where the singers stand like puppets animated by the invisible threads of fate. The stage becomes a concentric ring, the theater of a cosmic battle where not only weapons but also the desires and hopes of the protagonists clash.
The work will be preceded by an introduction in the form of a tale by Salvo Piparo, which will immerse the audience in the epic atmosphere of Tasso’s poem.
The Arianna Art Ensemble will perform Monteverdi’s score with an ensemble of musicians. Nicholas Robinson on first violin will be joined by Francesco Colletti on second violin, Sara Bagnati on viola, Cinzia Guarino on harpsichord, Paolo Rigano on archlute and baroque guitar, Marco Lo Cicero on violone and Maria Eva Solo on cello. The main roles will see Giovanni Caccamo in the role of the Text, Gaspare Provenzano as Tancredi and Picci Ferrari as Clorinda. “The Combat of Tancredi and Clorinda” experiments with the emotional power and musical innovation of Monteverdi, in a context that combines tradition and experimentation. Coppola’s direction promises to take the audience on a journey through the centuries, witnessing a story that continues to resonate in eternity.
The International Festival of Ancient Music is one of the most anticipated cultural events that attracts enthusiasts and the curious. To reach Erice and enjoy the Festival shows without worrying about parking, a convenient low-cost shuttle bus service has been activated. The bus will leave from Trapani, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, at 8:00 pm, with a stop at 8:15 pm at the Piazzale della Funierice. The cost of the service is only € 5.00 return. Seats are limited and must be booked via WhatsApp message to the number +39 376 1380272.
The International Festival of Ancient Music, recognized by the Ministry of Culture in 2022, is the flagship event of Erice Estate 2024. It is organized by the Mema Association – Mediterranean Music Association, with the patronage of the Municipality of Erice and the Sicilian Region – Department of Tourism, Sport and Entertainment, the ICIT Italian-German Cultural Institute and the Goethe Institut, the Diocese of Trapani and Montagna del Signore and the Ettore Majorana Foundation. Tickets are available for purchase online or at the event venues starting one hour before the start of each concert. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the website www.memassociation.orgthe Facebook page MEMA – Mediterranean Music Association and the Instagram page mema_mediterranean_music. For all updates, please visit the official website www.comune.erice.tp.it and the social channels of the Municipality of Erice.