Cyprus 1400: Crossroads of Cultures

Cyprus! Most of us never knew that the kingdom was ruled by the French for over 300 years. They fought off invaders, welcomed crusaders, and maintained a high level of culture. Their music comes to us in a large manuscript now in Turin, in northern Italy--600 years old, and glittering with gold. All of the music is unique and anonymous, from the final flowering of the kingdom, around 1411 to 1422, during the reign of King Janus of Lusignan and Queen Charlotte of Bourbon. This was a golden moment on the eve of a series of disasters that brought the idyll to an end. The music is highly sophisticated, full of subtle complexities and artful refinements, fiendishly difficult to perform and seldom recorded, but easy to listen to. The medieval ensemble Alkemie will bring this precious music to life. In addition to three enchanting sopranos with silken voices, there will be a colorful band of instruments, with vieles, harp, recorders, douçaines and percussion. Love songs and motets are the main offerings. One spectacular piece, played by instruments alone, is a virtual explosion of virtuoso acrobatics. Some rousing Greek and Cypriot traditional music will suggest what the French aristocrats might have overheard when passing through the countryside, where the population was mainly Greek peasantry. The performers are Tracy Cowart, Elena Mullins and Sian Ricketts, David McCormick and Niccolo Seligmann. See their website at www.alkemie.org. Presented by the Cambridge Society for Early Music (CSEM).

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Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm Artists: Alkemie Medieval Ensemble, Tracy Cowart, mezzo-soprano, harp & percussion, David McCormick, viele, Elena Mullins, soprano, percussion, Sian Ricketts, soprano, recorders & douçaines, Niccolo Seligmann, vieles & percussion