The
Troubadours
Jenny
Lewis (poet)
Clare
Norburn (soprano)
Leah Stuttard (harp)
The
Troubadours
comprises two musicians and a poet who have got together in 2001 to explore the
heritage of the troubadours – their poetry, music and ideas about art and
love.
They
have performed The
Art of Loving Honourably at a number of literary festivals including the
Oxford Literary Festival and the Swindon
Literary Festival. Bookings
have also included Brighton
Early Music Festival, Charlbury Arts
Festival and the Holywell Music Rooms,
Oxford.
Reviews
include:
“exhilarating”
(The Independent)
“a
ravishing combination” (the Swindon Advertiser)
“an
enthralling and thought-provoking entertainment”
(The Oxford Times)
“a
superb evening, which deserves to be staged again and to a wider audience”
(The Oxford Times)
The
Programme
The
Art of Loving Honourably
is a unique performance in which poems inspired by the 12th century troubadours
of Southern France are combined with and accompanied by the original haunting
songs of the troubadours.
The
poems by prize-winning poet and author, Jenny Lewis, explore these different and
yet familiar ideas about love – longing for the absent loved one and the
secret pleasures of forbidden or adulterous love.
The poems cover a whole range of human emotions – they are sweet, sad,
sexy, bitter, funny and satirical.
Jenny’s
poems are performed alongside and interlaced with the troubadour poetry and
music which inspired the cycle. The
troubadours were strong characters and their music reflects the emotional
intensity of their poetry.
The
performance begins with the words of troubadour Raimbaut d’Orange.
Over the words of the poem, the original 12th century melody
is heard as the musicians process up the central aisle with candles.
It is by candlelight that the audience is invited to journey back in time
to the castles of Southern France, peopled by troubadours, Cathars, crusaders,
knights and ladies, where courtly love is explored in all its anguish and
tenderness.
More information about The Troubadours
Promoters – to request a brochure and a sample CD: contact us
To join the mailing list: contact us
See the Diary for news of the next concert by the Troubadours
A
CD is being recorded in 2003 – details will appear here in the future.