BERNARDUS ENSEMBLE CONCERT PROGRAMS
The Eternal Flame: Visions of Love Throughout the Medieval World
Program Length: 75 Minutes
Personnel: Singer, Instrumentalist, Two Readers
Multimedia: Art Images, Poetry, Readings, Projector, Screen
This program offers a unique look at how medieval citizens expressed the various emotions and forms of love, both sacred and secular. The repertoire includes troubadour song, art images, and poetic readings to illustrate love and passion amongst the lives of courtiers, troubadours, and crusaders. Composers and scholars in the program include Thibaut de Champagne, Bernard de Ventadorn, Jaufre Rudel, Alfonso X el Sabio, Comtessa de Dia, Heloise & Abelard, and Mechtild de Magdeburg, among others.
St. George and The Dragon:
The Story of England's Greatest Son
Program Length: 60 Minutes
Personnel: Singer, Instrumentalist
Multimedia: Art Images, Readings, Projector, Screen
A presentation of the mythic story of St. George and the Dragon. The program tells the legend of George and his extraordinary experience through the lens of 13th-century monk Jacobus de Voragine. The narrative is drawn from his famous volume, The Golden Legend, which chronicled the lives of some 180+ saints. Aspects of this multimedia presentation include medieval monophonic song, instrumental music, dramatic readings, and visual art and images from the period. This performance is for those interested in music, art, literature, and culture from the Middle Ages (along with a great story).
In addition to the completed concerts presented here, several other programs are currently under development. Sources include facsimile documents, musicological transcriptions, scholarly editions, fine art images, and research databases. Additional materials are performance practice references, medieval readings, archival publications, and period writings, among others.