Il Festino

In this age of political correctness, with its endless warnings against consuming too much alcohol, tobacco, salt, sugar etc., and its relentless progress towards a drab and sterilised existence, In Taverna may appear almost subversive. Every single poetic text and song in this programme is an invitation to abandon oneself to the pleasures of that magical nectar, wine. This noble and wonderful beverage has been extolled in every age and by all cultures. The 17th century was no exception, so what could be more natural than to combine little-known drinking songs from the Grand Siècle by Etienne Moulinié and Jean-Baptiste Lully with the sublime poetry of Jean de La Fontaine, Paul Scarron and Antoine Girard, sieur de Saint Amant, to hymn the supreme virtues of drunkenness?

With an actor to declaim the poetry and a singer to perform the drinking songs, a lutenist and a viol player invite the listener to enjoy an intimate and refined take on pleasure and debauchery. Wine, poetry and music will be mankind's companions until the end of time – but may drunkenness never come to an end!

Music by MOULINIÉ, LULLY, GUÉDRON, GAUTIER...

Julien Cigana narrator
Dagmar Saskova vocal
Ronald Martin Alonso viola
Manuel de Grange lute, guitar & direction