
24th Early Music Festival Banchetto Musicale: Sounds from the East and the West
Opening Concert
The Allegory of Desire: The Song of Songs in Western and Oriental Traditions
Ghalia Benali – voice, compositions and Ensemble Zefiro Torna | Belgium
Ensemble Vocalconsort Berlin | Germany
Jurgen De Bruyn – music director
Folkert Uhde – dramaturgy
Jörg Bittner – scenography, lighting design
The Song of Songs from the Old Testament, attributed to King Solomon, is among the most beautiful and poetic pages of the Bible. This love poem where a young woman and a young man profess their love for one another captivates readers to this day for its imagery, open eroticism and powerful suggestiveness. Yet it is also a religious text, taken as an allegory for godly love, an impulse of mysticism. From the very earliest centuries, The Song of Songs became a source of inspiration for artists from the West and the Orient alike.
In this programme prepared by Belgian and German artists we shall see how authentic verses from The Song of Songs sound in the Western and Oriental traditions. The compositions by Western Europe’s music creators, such as Machaut, Dunstable, Lasso, Grandi, Monteverdi and others, will reveal the range of vocal genres that can be applied (from solo madrigals with instruments, vocal duets and trios, to expanded polyphonic opuses), while the Tunisian vocalist and actress Ghalia Benali will create an unforgettable musical happening from traditional Arabic songs, and poetry by Sufi and new generation poets.
http://www.zefirotorna.be/
http://www.vocalconsort-berlin.de/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3yUGspj5IM
Tickets: Lt20, Lt30, Lt40, Lt50 Lt / Eur 5,79, Eur 8,69, Eur 11,58, Eur 14,48
Tickets are available at the box offices of the Museum and National Ticketing Office BILIETAI LT (additional charges apply)
Concessions and discounts:
„Omni ID“ card holders receive 30% discount per single ticket;
Students, pupils and Lithuanian pensioners receive 50% discount per single ticket (not applicable to top price tickets).