From The Renaissance Players: Gazpacho Andaluz – A Feast Of Early Music, Song, Dance And Poetry
The Renaissance Players directed by Prof Winsome Evans OAM presents Gaspacho Andaluz, its 3rd concert series for 2014. Based at The University of Sydney and performing continuously since 1967, The Renaissance Players are Australia’s oldest early music group,
This musical gazpacho encompasses the colours of the performing traditions from the mediaeval court of Alfonso the Wise and from the famous pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela as well as the Catalonian Benedictine monastery at Montserrat. True to tradition, the performance will feature colourful costumes, exotic early instruments, brilliant musicians and soaring voices – plus romance and comic poetry.
These are mixed together with popular songs and dances from the Renaissance courts of Isabella and Ferdinand. These feature the 15th and 16th century jazz-like improvisations in dances and in all other forms of secular vocal and instrumental music.
The readings extend the range of gazpacho flavours to include Muslim and Christian poetry from the 13th to the early 20th century.
The concert features multi-instrumentalists Winsome Evans, Llew Kiek, James Wannan, Cyrus Meurant, Kirsty Vickers and Tony Lewis, singers Jessica O’Donoghue and Mitchell Riley as well as poetry reader Geoff Sirmai.
Among the exotic authentic early instruments are vielle, rebec, harp, psaltery, baglama, ud, gittern, mandora, large and small guitars, baroque violin, viola and cello, shawms, duct flute, doucaine, whistle, bells, sinfonye, daireh, tapan, darabukka, tambourine and zils.
The concert coincides with two more of the group’s latest CD releases on the Tall Poppies label – albums 4 and 5 in the series of Cantigas de Santa Maria (CD of the Week on ABC Classic FM from 24 August!).
This follows the 2-CD album Pilgrimage to Montserrat (June) and the re-mastered Memories of English Minstrelsy (March).
Together they add to the Players’ impressive 25-plus internationally acclaimed recordings.
Tickets: $36 (trybooking.com) or at door
Students: $15 (at door) Enquiries: (02) 4751 4910
