Gesualdo Shadows – A Modern Baroque Opera by Bo Holten

UPC 747313542857

Overview

"Gesualdo Shadows" is a contemporary baroque opera composed by Bo Holten with a libretto by Eva Sommestad Holten. This innovative work tells the story of Carlo Gesualdo, a complex figure of the Italian Renaissance known for his expressive madrigals and turbulent life. Set to modern instrumentation fused with Gesualdo’s original madrigals, Gesualdo Shadows explores themes of art, duty, and inner turmoil from the composer’s passionate youth to his mystic and melancholic old age. The opera is performed in English, with subtitles available in German, Italian, and English, offering an immersive experience into Gesualdo’s world of beauty and darkness.

Product Features

• Composer: Bo Holten
• Librettist: Eva Sommestad Holten
• Primary Cast:Performing Ensemble: Musica Ficta
  • Carlo Gesualdo – Gert Henning-Jensen
  • Shadow – Tor Lind
  • Maria d'Avalos – Hanna Kappelin
  • Fabrizio Carafa – Rasmus Kure Thomsen
  • Duke of Ferrara – Guido Paevatalu
  • Leonora d'Este – Ann-Christin Wesser Ingels
  • Fontanelli – Anders Jakobsson
• Orchestra: Concerto Copenhagen
• Conductor: Bo Holten
• Director and Choreographer: Deda Cristina Colonna
• Stage Design, Costumes, and Puppetry: Eva Sommestad Holten
• Running Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
• Language: Sung in English
• Subtitles: English, German, Italian
• Audio Options: PCM Stereo, 5.0 & DTS 5.0
• Format: NTSC, DVD9, Region-free (worldwide playback compatible)
• Distributor: Dacapo Records, Naxos Global Logistics

Interesting Facts

• About Carlo Gesualdo: Gesualdo was a late-Renaissance composer whose expressive, dissonant madrigals and controversial life story have intrigued artists and historians for centuries. Known for the murder of his first wife, Maria d’Avalos, and her lover, Gesualdo’s life has become a tale of passion and tragedy that Holten captures in his music.
• Unique Composition Style: Bo Holten combines Gesualdo’s original madrigals with his own score, creating an atmosphere that blurs the boundaries between the Renaissance and contemporary music, enhancing the opera's emotional depth.
• Staging & Visuals: Directed and choreographed by Deda Cristina Colonna, the opera features evocative stage design, costumes, and puppetry by Eva Sommestad Holten, adding layers of artistry and symbolism that highlight Gesualdo’s inner struggle.
• Cinematic Elements: With video production by Cubus Film, Gesualdo Shadows captures both theatrical and cinematic elements, making it visually engaging for audiences in any setting.

Publishers

Dacapo Records, 2018
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#GesualdoShadows #BoHolten #ModernBaroque #Opera #RenaissanceMusic #DacapoRecords #CarloGesualdo #ConcertoCopenhagen #MusicaFicta