‘Caravaggio & Monteverdi’ is a sensational success at the Istanbul Music Festival

TurkeyTurkey Istanbul Music Festival [2] – ‘Caravaggio & Monteverdi: La Venexiana – Emanuela Galli (soprano), Agnese Allegra (soprano), Giacomo Schivao (tenor), Gabriele Palomba (theorbo/conductor), Dario Carpanese (harpsichord), Teatri 35 – Antonella Parrella (performer), Gaetano Coccia (performer), Francesco Ottavio de Santis (performer). Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall, Istanbul. 24.6.2025. (GT)

‘Caravaggio & Monteverdi’ © Salih Üstündağ

This celebration of two great Baroque masters in the genre of ‘tableaux vivants’ is surely one of the highpoints of the Istanbul Music Festival. This performance of ‘Caravaggio and Monteverdi’ – featuring music by Gagliano, Schütz, Sigismondo d’India, Ferrari and Monteverdi – premiered in March 2023 in Verdi di Sassano and later will be performed in Bologna this year.

The credo of the Teatri 35 ensemble informs us: ‘Reaching the construction of the painting is not the goal; what is sought is a way of working in which the body is a simple instrument, a means on a par with a cloth or a basket. The single actor on stage performs sound actions, actions inserted in a musical score in which each gesture is a function of a mechanic, of a mechanism in which what is performed is strictly necessary.’

Teatri 35 has performed in collaborations with Italian and international ensembles and orchestras, working in many musical genres, ranging from the Baroque to Ancient music, and from chamber music to symphonic music of the twentieth century in illustrating works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio, the Pre-Raphaelites and Tuscan Mannerism are among the sources that inspired the company for the creation of tableaux vivants. Since 2005, Teatri 35 has been working in the Troia Teatro Festival.

This extraordinary concert portrayed vocal works by five composers in creating scenes from some sixteen of Caravaggio’s most mesmerising paintings accompanied by music of the period. I cannot recall attending such an event combining songs and a unique connection with this age of great musical and artistic creativity. The tableaux vivants were often sensational as we saw the actors and the musicians create scenes of great emotional power as the singing and plaintive instrumental music complemented the creation of each scene.

The performance opened with Marco da Gagliano’s ‘Vergine bella’, Monteverdi’s ‘Ohime, dovè il mio ben’, ‘Io son pur vezzosetta’ and ‘Bel pastor’ sung by the beautifully expressive sopranos of Agnese Allegra and Emanuela Galli accompanied by Gabriele Palomba on the theorbo and Dario Carpanese on the harpsichord. This musical prelude prepared the audience for the entrance of the actors of Teatri 35 to recreate scenes from Caravaggio’s most famous paintings.

The experience of watching the actors recreate each scene as the music portrays emotive scenes from Caravaggio was astonishing as the actors carefully gather garments lying on the stage and assume the pose from the painting. The accuracy in recreating the scene was quite astonishing – as soon as the music ends – another piece of music is performed, as the actors disrobe and gather more garments to build the next scene. The overwhelming pictures on the stage were a continuing tragic scene of murder, Judith beheading Holofernes, and of shocking violence, The Crucifixion of Saint Peter, or the aftermath of a tragedy, Salome with the Head of John the Baptist. Infrequently, we saw more pleasing scenes as in Saint Francis in Ecstasy, or in Saint Matthew and the Angel. Highpoints of the creations were Adoration of the Shepherds, John the Baptist, and the Madonna of Loreto. The depiction of the scenes were performed with uncanny accuracy by the three actors, all of which was accompanied by music of great emotional sensitivity corresponding to the poignant pictures on the stage.

The Istanbul Music Festival is one of several arts festivals organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and the Arts with the major company Borusan as its principal sponsor in the 53rd annual festival. The foundation holds annual film, design and a biennial festival. For further information click here.

Gregor Tassie

Featured Image: ‘Caravaggio & Monteverdi’ © Salih Üstündağ

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